The former agent of Alberto Aquilani has lifted the lid on his move to Liverpool.

Franco Zavaglia hints the midfielder was always going to struggle having just come off a serious injury.

He told TMW: "A complicated negotiation, because he came from an injury and the amount of time for the operation were very important.

“The request was a 5 million euros contract for five years.

"Liverpool consisted of (Rafa) Benitez and Eduardo Macia who had great confidence in the player, but had some doubts related to the physical condition because the boy was coming from an injury."

Zavaglia continued: “We got together and the meeting lasted about six hours, if not all day. And thus leveraging my credibility worldwide after a day of waiting we managed to conclude the negotiation: Alberto Aquilani signed with Liverpool for five years.

“He made few appearances, in the following years I had to try to bring him back to Italy. One year we went to Juve, then to Milan and finally to Fiorentina."

Aquilani is today on the coaching staff of Fiorentina.