After embarking on a major midfield reshuffle last summer, Liverpool has regained the Gegenpress, synonymous with Jurgen Klopp, and has a midfield lineup that can fight until the end of the game.
As a result, Liverpool is now competing for the top spot in the Premier League, a complete change from last season.
This winter, the club was widely reported to be looking to further strengthen its midfield.Interest in defensive midfielders such as Brazilian midfielder Andre and Fulham midfielder Joao Palhinha has been discussed, but that died down as the year drew to a close.
Still, the fever for a player who can handle the bottom of midfield may not have died down. According to BolaVip, Liverpool and Manchester City are keen on Porto’s 22-year-old midfielder Alan Varela and hope to bring him into their squads this summer.
The defensive midfielder, who has also played for the Argentina U-20 national team, is a fighter who, like his South American counterparts, shows passion and fights for the ball with strong tackling and pressing.
With soft ankles, he can also carry the ball past the opposition’s markers, and his style of play is similar to that of Fluminense midfielder Andre, who has been rumored to have a similar style of play.
He joined Porto just last summer from Boca Juniors and has a contract remaining until June 2028.
The transfer is expected to require the payment of a release clause of 70 million euros, and it is not cheap to pull the player out of Portugal.
Despite this being his first year with the club, he has been a mainstay and has played 22 games so far. He has also started six games in the Champions League, and has responded to his call-ups with results on the European stage.
Will Liverpool pay 70 million euros for the promising anchor man?