Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United are among the clubs closely monitoring Sporting CP youngster Eduardo Quaresma, who has a £41 million release clause.
According to The Sun, Eduardo Quaresma could become the latest Sporting CP sensation to be linked with a move away from the club this summer. The young central defender has attracted interest from a host of clubs across Europe, including the Premier League trio of Chelsea, Liverpool and Manchester United and a big money move could be on the horizon.
A distant relative of Brazilian legend Zico, Quaresma is considered as one for the future, having made his professional breakthrough last season. Although the centre-back hasn’t featured much for Sporting in the league this campaign, he is widely regarded for his potential, thus making him a subject of interest across European football.
One of the biggest assets Quaresma has in his locker is the pace. Despite being 1.85m, the 19-year-old has electric speed, which is often quite beneficial for a centre-back in this modern game of football.
In addition to his pace, the Sporting CP youngster has also seemed to impress the onlookers with his physicality, so there is hardly any surprise why he has attracted interest from a club like Liverpool as they continue to scour the market for reinforcements in the central defensive unit.
Although the Reds are being strongly linked with a move for Ibrahima Konate, it appears Jurgen Klopp is determined to run a massive overhaul in the defensive unit – making Quaresma a potential long-term option for the club, in their bid to replace the likes of Joel Matip.
Chelsea, too, are in need of a long-term replacement for the ageing Thiago Silva while they are also likely to part ways with Fikayo Tomori, who is currently on loan at AC Milan.
A coach like Thomas Tuchel will certainly prefer a talent like Quaresma, who is fast and can easily settle into his tactical setup, although it is Manchester United who could make a bigger case.
This is primarily because the Red Devils boast the services of one of Sporting CP’s recent great icon in Bruno Fernandes. The playmaker could thus make it easier for them to facilitate the transfer.
From a sporting perspective, Quaresma could prove to be an able replacement for Eric Bailly and Phil Jones, with both the players facing an uncertain future at the club.
A fee of £41 million, however, could be a bit too much for Manchester United in this current financial climate and the club is almost destined to negotiate a deal, should they really go all out for the services of the youngster this season.