Liverpool and Tottenham are reportedly set to go head-to-head in pursuit of Sporting Lisbon midfielder this summer.
According to a report by Daily Mirror, Bruno Fernandes could be on his way out of Sporting Lisbon in the coming summer transfer window. The Portuguese midfielder is the subject of interest from Liverpool and Tottenham, who have both closely monitored the player in recent months.
Fernandes has gone about carving a name for himself as a reliable midfielder since joining Sporting Lisbon from Udinese last summer. A mainstay in the middle for the Portuguese giants, the player has made 50 appearances in Jorge Jesus’s side this season, with an impressive record of 14 goals and 20 assists to boot.
His remarkable consistency for the Leoes also helped him earn his first senior international cap, since when he has made two further appearances for the Portugal National Side. But, his stint at Sporting could end after just one season, with several top clubs, including Liverpool and Tottenham, showing keen interest in him.
Both the clubs have had scouts present in Sporting Lisbon games over the course of the season. Liverpool and Tottenham have reportedly stepped up their scouting in recent months, with Spurs even having him watched this past weekend against Belenenses, when Fernandes scored the winner in a 4-3 win.
Liverpool are yet to replace Philippe Coutinho since he joined Barcelona in January. Fernandes, with his creative abilities and eye for goal has shown the traits that could make him a like-for-like replacement, and a long-term solution in midfield for the Reds.
Tottenham, on the other hand, could possibly be eyeing Fernandes due to the fact that the likes of Dele Alli, Christian Eriksen and Mousa Dembele face uncertain futures at the club. Regardless of their futures, Spurs could do with quality strength in depth, the lack of which has seen them suffer in recent seasons.
But, the player won’t come cheap, with Sporting set to ask suitors to pay his £87 million release clause in order to secure his services. While Tottenham have shown an unwillingness to pay the big bucks for their targets more often than not, Liverpool have been more inclined towards shelling out whatever it takes to sign the player that Jurgen Klopp wants, as evidenced by the capture of Virgil van Dijk.
It will now be interesting to see which way the player heads off to in the summer if he indeed leaves Sporting after just one season. His performances though, have surely not gone unnoticed, with Liverpool and Tottenham among those interested, and we may well see a move.
