Aspas: I met Stevie 15 years ago
You would be forgiven for thinking that Iago Aspas and Steven Gerrard met for the first time just a matter of months ago – but the Spaniard believes the pair actually crossed paths as far back as 1998.
The striker completed a switch to Anfield from La Liga outfit Celta Vigo at the end of June and has impressed his new followers by knocking home four goals in pre-season for the Reds and helping his new side start the season with maximum points.
Aspas' first experience of Liverpool occurred 15 years ago, however, when the Reds travelled to the Estadio Balaidos for a UEFA Cup tie against Celta with a certain aspiring midfielder within the ranks.
"I'm almost sure that I was there," the 26-year-old told the official Liverpool FC magazine.
"I would've been 11 and I know for definite that during that period as a young lad on the books I was a ball boy at every game at the Estadio Balaidos, so the chances are that I was at that particular fixture.
"It's quite possible that Steven Gerrard would have walked past me that night!"
Aspas jetted into Merseyside just two days after compatriot Luis Alberto became a Liverpool player, and the No.9 hopes the pair can emulate the instant success of Philippe Coutinho with the aid of unpredictability.
He continued: "We will be hoping to make the same impression and we've already been receiving a lot of help from our teammates. Phil has been helping us a lot.
"Although he's not been here a long time, he knows all about the club's philosophy and what it actually means to be a Liverpool player.
"It's not only a good thing for us from the point of view that the fans don't know so much about us, but it may be more significant that defenders and opponents won't know so much about us either.
"That may have been the case with Michu at Swansea City last season, for example."
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Aspas notched 12 goals in 34 league appearances during 2012-13 to play a significant role in Celta's successful battle to avoid relegation from Spain's top flight.
The campaign proved the latest positive in an upwardly mobile career for the forward, which he is determined to maintain in Liverpool colours.
Asked for his aims in 2013-14, he added: "Personally it would be to play as many games as I can and take on board all the new concepts and ideas - everything that I need to learn about playing for Liverpool.
"As a team, we've got to aim to get into Europe again next season. That's very, very important and our ambition has to be to get into the top four."