Defender who left Liverpool for free signs record deal with Russian giants

Arroyo was let go by Liverpool on a free transfer to Burgos in the summer of 2024, following a six-month loan spell with the Spanish club.

Now, just over a year later, he has signed with Rubin Kazan for €1m (£865,430), setting a new record sale for Burgos.

The previous record belonged to the €500,000 (£432,742) transfer of David Goldar to Pafos.

At 25, Arroyo is approaching his prime and now has a solid opportunity to build his career at Rubin Kazan, a giant Russian club with two league titles in their history.

The Colombian defender never played for Liverpool’s senior team during his time in England.

He spent most of that period out on loan, with spells at Real Mallorca, KAA Gent, FK Mlada Boleslav, Salamanca CF UDS, Mirandes, Alaves, FC Andorra and Burgos.

How Liverpool helped Anderson Arroyo along the way

Liverpool could have cut ties with the South American long before his eventual departure, but they chose not to.

Arroyo, who Strasbourg had shown interest in back in 2019, went through eight loan spells during his time with Liverpool. Despite never securing a permanent move to any of those clubs except for Burgos, the Reds did not give up on him.

The club even handed him a contract extension in July 2022, despite having little realistic chance of breaking into the first team.

So, it is likely a positive story for many at Anfield to see Arroyo make a record move to Rubin Kazan. It is a deal that reflects well on Liverpool and underscores their commitment to supporting players beyond their time at the club.