In this summer’s transfer market, Liverpool was serious about revamping its midfielders. After acquiring Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai before the preseason, the club welcomed Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch into the team at the end of the season after Jordan Henderson and Fabinho decided to leave for the Middle East.
In the process of acquiring the four players, interest in a number of other midfielders has been rumored. With the names of not only European players but also players of growing reputation in South America surfacing, Liverpool’s interest in Uruguayan midfielder Federico Valverde, who plays for Real Madrid, was also discussed.
No information has been released by credible journalists, and the probability is high that this is only gossip of a gossip type. However, he is a talent that could attract the interest of powerful clubs other than Liverpool, and the possibility cannot be denied that a Premier League club with financial resources may have presented an offer.
In response to such speculation, the 25-year-old midfielder, who is under contract until 2027, said he will not explore other options as long as he has the chance to play for Real Madrid.
“Premier League offers? I have the possibility of playing for Real. The day I don’t feel like that, I will probably look for another solution or Real itself will look for one for me.”
He joined Castilla in 2016 from Peñarol, and after a loan spell at Deportivo, he has now become an integral part of the first team. He has scored 19 goals and 15 assists in 209 games and has earned the trust of coach Carlo Ancelotti.
Although he has become one of the best midfielders in Europe, he could have joined Arsenal as a youngster. He said he had a trial in London and expressed his gratitude for the support of Alexis Sanchez, a former Chilean international who played for the club.
“I have always been grateful to him [Sanchez].”
“When I went to train at Arsenal, Alexis was there and he was one of the few who came up to help me. I will always be grateful to him because, being a nobody, I was well-received by him. He was there to help me when I was a kid. As a footballer, he is an incredible player.”