Liverpool are reportedly eyeing a move for a Brazilian teenager as a prospective long-term replacement for one Anfield stalwart.
As it stands, Andy Robertson is set to become a free agent in the summer once his contract expires, and transfer insider Pete O’Rourke has claimed that the 32-year-old’s future could remain up in the air right until the end of this season.
Milos Kerkez is already in situ as the readymade successor to the Scot, who he’s displaced as Arne Slot’s preferred left-back option, although FSG seemingly have their sights set on a prodigious talent from South America.
According to a report by Sport Witness, Liverpool scouts across the Atlantic Ocean have been monitoring the development of Santos defender Vinicius Lira over the past few months.
The 18-year-old is said to have the kind of attacking full-back profile favoured by Anfield recruitment chiefs, and his agency (Bertolucci Sports) is seemingly ‘well placed’ to help the Reds complete a deal, if they were to properly pursue one.
It’s claimed that there’s a ‘growing belief’ within Santos that he could prove to be a more complete prospect than positional peer Souza, who left the Sao Paulo-based club for Tottenham Hotspur in January, and some have even joked that Spurs may have acquired ‘the wrong left-back’.
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With just 14 senior career appearances so far (11 since New Year’s Day), Lira is clearly being monitored as a longer-term prospect for Liverpool rather than someone in mind to come in and make an immediate first-team impact, but he’s already shown signs of being a wonderful talent.
As per Sport Witness, he ‘combines physical strength with forward intent’ and has been noted for his ability to get to the byline and deliver crosses promptly, while his 1.87 metre physique enables him to hold his own in aerial duels and defensive transitions.
His ‘strong athleticism’ is borne out on his ability to move up and down the left flank quickly and contribute to his team’s attacking play with frequent overlapping runs, much like Robertson at his best for the Reds.
Liverpool’s interest in Lira is understood to be at an early stage, so it remains to be seen whether this’ll develop into a sustained and concrete pursuit, but the Santos teenager could nonetheless be a name worth keeping an eye on in the coming months.
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