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Having been at Liverpool for just a month, fullback Javier Manquillo has already impressed many Liverpool fans. Looking surprisingly composed for a 20-year-old who arrived after having made just seven first team appearances for Atletico Madrid last season, some even think he's already established himself as the club's first choice at right back.
That might be going a little overboard rather soon on such a young player, but at the least it seems fair to say he has looked at home against some difficult opponents while adjusting to a new home, a new league, and a new language. Manquillo, though, says he's adjusting quickly to the changes and settling in at Liverpool—plus it doesn't hurt that the manger speaks his language.
"There's some things I miss about home—the weather is the main one—but I'm getting accustomed to things here more and more every day," said the young Spanish right back. "I get on very well with the manager here. He helps us with everything he can, which is great. He also speaks Spanish fluently, so it's really easy for us to communicate."
The early signs have been promising, but the next few weeks will go a long way to determining just where Manquillo stands on the depth chart and just how adjusted he is. With Liverpool returning to the Champions League for the first time since 2009 next week comes a sustained stretch of least two games every week, offering plenty of chances to impress.
For a player who previously only made spot appearances for Atletico Madrid, though, that could also end up a very steep learning curve. And beyond the normal pressures on a young player trying to lock down a starting role at a new club, Manquillo will be wanting to do so with one eye to Liverpool's meeting with Real Madrid on October 22nd.
Manquillo grew up a Madrid supporter and joined their academy alongside his twin brother. However, when his brother was cut, Javier followed him across town to Atletico, where he went on to become one of the brightest prospects in Spanish football. Now, over the next few weeks, he has a chance not just to establish himself as a starter at Liverpool but perhaps to exact a bit of revenge.
It's a big ask for a 20-year-old at a position that often sees its best players bloom a little bit later, but the early evidence at least suggests he at least has a chance.
