Liverpool hero Adrian began life as striker and only got big break aged 25

HOLIDAYING in the hilltop town of Taormina in Sicily this summer, Adrian must have wondered where his career was heading.

After six years at West Ham, the Spanish goalkeeper was released in June and was without a club to join at the age of 32.

In a heartfelt letter to Hammers fans, Adrian wrote: "I can tell you that I've always hoped to continue in West Ham, but the circumstances of football have led me to seek a new destination."

Little over a month on and Adrian was punching the Istanbul sky, wearing the red of European champions Liverpool, after saving the crucial penalty to win the Super Cup.

He will have woken up on Thursday morning to footage of new boss Jurgen Klopp yelling his name into the camera Rocky Balboa-style.

And it is unlikely to be a one-off for the veteran keeper.

Adrian was signed on a free to fill the gap as reserve keeper after the departure of Simon Mignolet.

But after first-choice keeper Alisson's injury in the season opener against Norwich last week, Klopp and Liverpool will be relying on their new hero.

And these are giant gloves to fill, for Brazilian shot-stopper Alisson is third favourite to win the Ballon d'Or — ahead of Cristiano Ronaldo and Mohamed Salah.

HE'S A KEEPER

Trips to Southampton on Saturday and the visit of Arsenal the following week will see Liverpool and Klopp turn to Adrian.

In the autumn of his career, Adrian faces his most high-profile task.

It wasn't so long ago that the former Real Betis goalkeeper was trying to score goals rather than save them, though.

"When I was 10 I played as a striker, because I was tall and I enjoyed scoring goals," Adrian told FourFourTwo in 2014.

"But then my team didn't have a goalkeeper, so I decided to go in goal, but only as a stop-gap until we managed to get a new keeper.

Jurgen Klopp hilariously shouts 'Adrian' in true Rocky style after Liverpool goalkeeper heroics in Super Cup penalty shootout

"I did quite well, the coach was impressed and the following year I was signed by Betis.

"To this day I've remained a keeper and now I'm no longer thinking of changing positions - I think I'll stick to being a goalkeeper!"

And yet, Adrian's career took a while to take off.

At Betis, he developed through the academy and had to make his way through the C team and B team between 2006 and 2012.

Just as he was about to break into the first-team, at the age of 24, a cruciate ligament injury in his knee left Adrian sidelined for five-and-a-half months.

He said: "It was one of the most difficult times of my professional career, for sure.

"At the time I was captain of Betis B and I had many responsibilities, so for them losing the captain and keeper was a complicated moment.

"But anyway, I always try to maintain a positive mentality, I tried to return to fitness as quickly as possible and I actually managed to return before the end of the season and play the final game."

Adrian's La Liga debut came in September 2012. He came off the bench after No1 Castro was sent off in the opening stages of the game.

Despite losing 4-0 to Malaga, Adrian was named man of the match and retained his position between the posts.

Sam Allardyce managed to persuade Adrian to come to England the following summer and was rewarded with West Ham's No1 jersey by the end of his first season.

He made 125 appearances over six years at the East London club, becoming a popular figure among Hammers fans.

Adrian managed to hold off competition from the likes of former England keeper Joe Hart who signed in the summer of 2017.

But Lukasz Fabianski's arrival at the London Stadium last summer spelt the end for Adrian. He featured in just five games, which were all cup competitions.

When Liverpool made the surprise call, it wasn't the first time they had made contact.

"To be fair, there was interest years ago, but the real interest was in the last few days," Adrian told Liverpool.com after signing.

"It's a big challenge for me to work with Alisson – he is in great form in the last few seasons, he's showing he's at a great level, one of the best in the world I would say.

"I come here to fight, to give a push to him as well like a teammate, and also push for the No.1."

It's come sooner than he expected, and in unexpected circumstances. But Adrian will not want to let go.