Liverpool are among three teams to have ‘come forward’ for FC Porto midfielder Alan Varela, according to reports.
Varela has been a regular feature for Porto since making his move to the Portuguese side from Boca Juniors in August. The 22-year-old has 27 starts to his name across all competitions and has more minutes than all but three teammates, one of which is goalkeeper Diogo Costa.
Comfortably developing to be too good for Portuguese football, it is in Europe where Varela has caught the attention of top clubs, including a Man of the Match performance during Porto’s 1-0 win over Arsenal in the first-leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. A swift move up to the elite level is looking likely and Footmercato names Liverpool as one of three potential suitors.
They are rivalled by Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund, with all three said to have registered their interest in Varela. Liverpool fans in particular will be encouraged by a likeness to their former Argentinian midfielder, which has led to him being known as the ‘new Javier Mascherano’.
At around 5ft 10, Varela is a diminutively combative defensive midfielder with guile and intelligence above his years. That, coupled with his Argentinian nationality, means comparisons to Mascherano are obvious.
