Malaga have revealed that Liverpool are interested in signing their promising defender Alexis, with misfit striker El Hadji Diouf moving to Spain as part of the deal.

The 19-year-old has already attracted interest from a host of European clubs.

However, the Primera outfit are determined to hold on to the player and Malaga president Serafin Roldan admitted that Liverpool’s insistence on securing first option on Alexis could undermine the loan deal for Senegalese striker Diouf.

“We are not prepared to allow them an option on him (Alexis),” Roldan claimed.