Reports in Portugal claim Liverpool are ready to start formal negotiations with Sporting over the signing of Matheus Nunes. The Reds are said to currently consider their summer transfer business done following the captures of Fabio Carvalho, Darwin Nunez and Calvin Ramsay but it appears there could be one final new arrival before the start of the new Premier League season.
Liverpool are still open to exploring the signing of a new midfielder to finally fill the void left behind by Gini Wijnaldum, who joined Paris Saint-Germain on a free transfer last summer.
Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain had been expected to depart but the England international is now set to remain at Anfield for the final year of his contract.
Now Correio da Manha in Portugal are reporting that Liverpool have entered the fray for Nunes, who is among the hottest properties in European football right now.
Chelsea recently explored a deal while Manchester City have also taken a look at the player, who is set to feature for Portugal at the World Cup in Qatar
The newspaper report claims the 23-year-old is now a priority target with Liverpool ready to start formal negotiations.
Sporting are looking for around £45million, although the player does have a £51m release clause written into his contract.
The shock development comes just days after transfer expert Fabrizio Romano revealed that Liverpool made a cheeky request for Jude Bellingham.
The Champions League finalists are said to have asked Borussia Dortmund whether the England international midfielder was available this summer.
Dortmund made it categorically clear that they would not entertain a sale following Erling Haaland's move to Manchester City.
Instead, Liverpool will have to wait until 2023 if they want to go all in on Bellingham, who looks destined to play under Jurgen Klopp.
Klopp recently confirmed Bellingham was not available this summer, declaring on Liverpool's pre-season tour: "He’s not on the market, so that’s the first problem with that player. Well, the only problem with that player!"
Sporting are reportedly seeking £40m plus £5m in add-ons in order to agree to the sale of Nunes.
Wolves were recently in negotiations with Sporting but the player was seemingly against a move to Molineux.
Instead, he allegedly declared he was willing to remain with Sporting for another season in the build up to the World Cup.
Pep Guardiola is among those to declare their admiration for the midfielder in recent months, when he personally praised Nunes' quality following Manchester City's Champions League triumph over Sporting.
“Sporting are a fantastic team, they are the champions of Portugal, which have a very strong league, with Porto and Benfica, they change the ball well, they have fast and intelligent players. I would say that Matheus Nunes is one of the best players in the world today," the Spaniard said.
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