Liverpool are reportedly preparing an offer to sign 19-year-old Brazilian striker Marcos Leonardo from Santos FC.
According to Brazilian publication Bolavip, Liverpool have set their sights on a move for Santos FC striker Marcos Leonardo and are readying a proposal to sign the teenage attacker.
Marcos Leonardo is a product of the Santos youth setup and has been making waves in Brazilian footballing scenes with his goalscoring acumen. The centre-forward made his debut in 2020 as a 17-year-old and has already featured over 100 times for Santos. And he is starting to flourish for the Brazilian giants, having netted 15 goals and set up five more in 39 games in the 2021/22 campaign.
Leonardo’s goalscoring record and overall performances have seemingly landed him on the radars of Liverpool. The Reds have shown an affinity to invest in young talents with rich potential in recent years, as indicated by their recruitment of Harvey Elliott, Kaide Gordon, Marcelo Pitaluga and more recently, Fabio Carvalho and Calvin Ramsay, among others.
Liverpool have their eyes on Brazilian teenage prodigy Endrick and several other such young prospects in South America, with Leonardo emerging as a potential target for Jurgen Klopp’s Reds.
The report describes the 19-year-old striker as someone with great physical strength and agility, with a keen eye for a goal. It has put him into Liverpool’s crosshairs, who believe the Brazilian can be a good fit in the Premier League.
Liverpool have already strengthened their attacking unit this summer with the capture of Darwin Nunez from SL Benfica. However, they might need to plan for contingencies as Roberto Firmino is in the final year of his contract. The Brazilian has been heavily linked with a transfer to Juventus, and the links persist even though Klopp has said that the 30-year-old remains a vital asset for him.
Even if Firmino does stay, there is still no clarity over whether he will sign an extension and could leave Liverpool as a free agent next summer. So, it would benefit the Reds to have a succession plan in place for the Brazilian international, which is where Leonardo could enter the picture.
Leonardo is a talent with plenty of promise, and Klopp has shown he has the tools to help the youngster develop and fulfil his potential. Santos are reportedly aware of the interest in the 19-year-old but are calm about the situation. However, the report states that things could escalate once Liverpool’s offer, which is said to be in the works, reaches the offices of the Brazilian club.
