OPINION
With Liverpool having such a strong first team squad, there really isn’t much transfer business to be done, which explains the club’s inactivity this month.
However, what the club should always be doing is looking to the future, and it appears that they have that in mind with their pursuit of Benfica teenager Joao Felix.
Portuguese outlet Correio da Manha reported on Friday that the Reds had failed with a £62million offer for the 19-year-old. Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain, Barcelona and Monaco were listed as the other teams in the packed race for the wonderkid, with other proposals having been submitted for him.
While it will obviously cost Jurgen Klopp plenty of money to bring Felix in, the player is worth it. His youth combined with his talent make him a must-have purchase for Liverpool, and certainly not someone that you want signing for City.
The attacking midfielder was promoted to Benfica’s first team squad at the start of this season, and has promptly netted six times in 18 games despite limited game time.
He’s averaging a goal every 134 minutes at present, an insane statistic considering he is a teenager and not an out and out striker. He is very much one for the future, but also more than good enough to compete for a first team spot right away.
Whether this is a deal that Liverpool continue to pursue in January – perhaps signing him and then loaning him back to the Portuguese side – or one they leave until the summer, they have to make sure that they win the race for Felix.
He could play anywhere across Liverpool’s flexible front line due to his versatility, while also having the ability to drop into midfield in the Xherdan Shaqiri role.
Again, this is not a player that you want ending up at one of your European rivals, and definitely not your closest domestic challengers. He is already some player, but in a few years time he is going to be world class.
The next step for Liverpool moving forwards is to accumulate top class talent, and Felix is very much that. If they can secure his signature ahead of the competition then it will be a massive boost for them in the years to come.
