Sebastian Coates

A Uruguyan international, Sebastian Coates was signed by Liverpool boss Kenny Dalglish from Nacional in August 2011, at the age of 20. The Montevideo-born central defender, who is an imposing 6ft 6ins, had just won his first senior cap for his country in a friendly against Estonia just a week before the Copa America finals. Injuries gave him his chance to play in the competition as Uruguay closed in on the trophy, and he was named as the Young Player of the tournament. Coates joined the Nacional academy at 11 and went on to break into the first-team seven years later, making his senior debut in a man-of-the-match performance against Bella Vista in 2009. Although he played only three months of that campaign his performances for the title-winners earned him the accolade of Uruguayan Championship Revelation of the Season. Following on from that, the Uruguayan started every single game for Nacional, chalking up 54 appearances and scoring four goals. When Nacional went on to clinch another title in 2010-11 it was also a personal triumph for Coates, who scooped the Uruguayan Championship Player of the Season and Defender of the Season awards. Tipped as a future captain for his country by none other than the present incumbent, Diego Lugano, he jumped at the chance of joining Dalglish’s Anfield revolution.