Liverpool deal-makers must have become used to travelling to Portugal in recent years.
The Reds have had plenty of success in the Portuguese market having cherry-picked two of the best players from the division since 2022.
Luis Diaz was the first to arrive, joining from Porto in January 2022. After seeing Diaz hit the ground running, Liverpool then pillaged Benfica, signing Darwin Nunez for a record fee.
Now, not content with raiding two of the country’s ‘Big Three,’ the Reds are going back to Lisbon for Sporting manager Ruben Amorim. Talks are reportedly ongoing with Amorim to become Liverpool’s new manager.
However, according to the Portuguese press, the Reds had representatives back in their nation this weekend on business entirely unrelated to Amorim.
Liverpool scouting Porto’s Alan Varela
Liverpool do absolutely right to keep a close watch over the goings-on in Portugal. Some of the best players in recent history have made their name at one of Porto, Benfica or Sporting.
The three teams often act as a great springboard for South American players to launch their careers in Europe. And, according to O Jogo, Liverpool have their eye on another looking to do exactly that.
They claim that the Reds sent scouts to watch over Porto midfielder Alan Varela during his team’s game against Victoria Guimaraes on Sunday.
Varela has been having a really good debut season at the Dragao, and Liverpool have reportedly been alerted to his talents.
As it turns out though, Sunday was not the best game to view the Argentine. He was taken off before the hour with Porto losing. However, it’s claimed that Liverpool are already well-informed on Varela, having watched him before.
The Reds are reportedly intending to sign a defensive midfielder in the summer and see the 22-year-old as ‘fitting the profile.’ With Manchester City also named as an interested party, O Jogo notes that Varela has a release clause of around £60m.
Who is Alan Varela
Liverpool were actually said to have been interested in Varela even before he made the move from Boca Juniors to Porto last summer. Had they moved to sign him then, they’d have saved themselves a lot of money.
Nevertheless, it isn’t really Liverpool’s style to bring a player directly from South America. And now that Varela has proved himself worth pursuing further, the Reds won’t mind stumping up the extra cash.
All the signs point to the Argentina U20 international being an astute signing for Liverpool. As a more defensive-minded midfielder, Varela could end up being a long-term option at Anfield.
Only 22, he had already amassed over 100 appearances for Boca before his move to Europe. Not yet capped by his nation’s senior side, it surely won’t be long before he’s joining Alexis Mac Allister with the Albiceleste. Remember the name.