Liverpool eye transfer for 'next Mascherano' who has already embarrassed Arsenal
Liverpool are reportedly keen on bringing rising Porto star Alan Varela to Anfield.
The defensive midfielder has been likened to ex-Barcelona ace Javier Mascherano who proved a big hit with the Reds from 2007 to 2010. With his high-energy performances and impressive stats, Varela could command a fee of around €70 million.
Porto only signed the Argentina Under 21s ace from Boca Juniors for €8 million in August. But he has made an instant impact and recently delivered a classy Champions League display in their win over Arsenal.
And Liverpool are believed to be considering trying to activate the 22 year-old’s release clause in the summer, according to Portuguese outlet .
Ex-Porto star Ruben Neves - a player previously linked with a move to Anfield - gave a glowing endorsement of Varela, labelling him a 'complete midfielder. “He is an excellent player. It was an excellent signing for Porto, perhaps the team’s most regular reinforcement in terms of time and quality of play," he told O Jogo via Sport Witness.
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"He is extremely aggressive, is always very well positioned in defensive balances and, lately, he has been getting a little further forward, making his passing and finishing ability count. He’s already scored two goals. He is very complete and has been one of the most important elements of the team.”
The Reds brought in four new midfielders ahead of the current season with Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo.
Liverpool boss Jurgen Klopp is adamant he is leaving the club in a strong position (James Gill/Getty Images)But the Premier League leaders see plenty in Varela which is encouraging them to make further investments. With Jurgen Klopp leaving at the end of the season, this is a crucial time for Liverpool to start putting plans in place as they look to start a new era of success.
And that new era was front and centre at Wembley last Sunday as the Reds lifted the Carabao Cup for a record tenth time. During the win over Chelsea, a host of academy stars featured, with the German labelling the victory as the most special of his storied career.
"What we see here today is so exceptional, we might never see again and not because I am on the sideline, because these things don't happen in football," he explained.
"I got told outside that there's an English phrase, 'you don't win trophies with kids' – I didn't know that. Yeah! There are longer careers than mine but in more than 20 years, [it's] easily the most special trophy I ever won. It's absolutely exceptional."
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