Liverpool are set to step up their efforts to sign Alan Varela from Porto. The midfielder’s clause is set at €70 million.
According to Eduardo Burgos, Liverpool are set to intensify their efforts to sign Alan Varela. Talks with Porto are expected to commence for the midfielder, who has a €70 million clause attached to his C contract with the Liga side. Former side Boca Juniors also hold a percentage on any future sale.
Liverpool in Alan Varela Move
One of the things Liverpool tried very hard last summer was to bring in a holding midfielder who could provide them with a solid base in their midfield structure. They were heavily linked with a move for Romeo Lavioa, and then Moises Caicedo, but the duo ended up joining Chelsea instead, as the Reds had to make do with Wataru Endo from Stuttgart.
Alexis Mac Allister has been deployed as their holding midfielder for most of the season, with Endo also playing rather regularly at the base of their midfield. However, there are calls for the Reds to sign a proper defensive midfielder in the summer window, although there are not a host of names linked with a move so far.
They have been watching Alan Varela of Porto, with the Argentine midfield dynamo impressed during his time at the Portuguese side. A big move away from the club could be on the cards for the €70 million-rated midfielder, who has a release clause in his contract for that price.
Liverpool are now set to step up their chase of the midfielder and consider him one of their priority signings of the summer. Whether they will have to pay the entire €70 million clause remains the question, but the Reds and Porto have had good relations over the years, with some transfer dealings done during that period, including that of Luis Diaz.
Will Varela improve Liverpool?
Liverpool cannot enter the new season with Endo as their primary defensive midfielder. Since Fabinho and Jordan Henderson’s departure last summer, they have repeatedly lacked a significant presence in the centre. Hence, there’s an important need to bring someone with a presence in that area, and Varela has shown he can be a handful.
He was instrumental in the two legs against Arsenal and largely troubled the north London side in the Champions League. However, his league form has been exceptional, as Liverpool may benefit from the player’s arrival. There’s a minor complication, as Eduardo Burgos reports, that the €70 million-rated will feature for Argentina at the Olympics.
