Liverpool are now set to open negotiations over the signing of a midfielder likened to Javier Mascherano.
The Reds seemingly want to sign a standout option for the No.6 role as Arne Slot aims to beef up his midfield.
Liverpool went all out for an expensive option last summer when bidding £110m to sign Moises Caicedo to carry out the task of screening the backline, although after the Ecuadorian moved to Chelsea, a cheaper £17m deal for Wataru Endo was settled on.
Now, however, Liverpool are once again ready to spend big on a No.6 – one who is much younger than Endo…
Liverpool set to open talks over Alan Varela
A story by Rudy Galetti now claims that Liverpool are set to begin negotiations with Porto over a deal to sign Alan Varela.
The 22-year-old has made a name for himself at the heart of Porto’s midfield across recent years, impressing so much that Liverpool are now considering whether to trigger his £60m release clause.
While Endo did a fine job in his debut campaign at Anfield – Micah Richards is just one of many popular pundits to hail the Japan international – the Liverpool No.3 is now 31 years of age, so Michael Edwards is seemingly on the hunt to provide Slot with a younger option.
Varela is almost an entire decade younger, and as detailed by Goal, those in his homeland of Argentina liken him to Mascherano, who was one of the best defensive midfielders of his generation, as Liverpool fans know all too well.
The Argentine made 139 appearances in total for Liverpool, and it is about time the Reds had another tough tackling South American at the base of midfield, to compliment another classy South American operator in Alexis Mac Allister.
Varela is not only a brute – however – as Spanish news outlet AS have also compared him to Sergio Busquets, one of the most composed passers of the ball we have ever seen.
Arne Slot could get his own Fabinho
Fabinho took Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool to another level after arriving from Monaco in May 2018.
In just five seasons at Anfield, the Brazilian lifted the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, FA Cup, League Cup, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup – turning Liverpool from perennial runners up into fierce competitors.
Now – if talks with Porto go well – Slot could get his own Fabinho in Varela.