Liverpool are considering a move to bring a new defender to the Premier League in January, according to a fresh report.
FSG’s summer signings
The Reds recruited four fresh faces during the previous transfer window in the form of Alexis Mac Allister, Dominik Szoboszlai, Wataru Endo and Ryan Gravenberch, with the midfield being the obvious position that needed to be strengthened.
With that mission having successfully been accomplished, Jurgen Klopp is now turning his attention towards bolstering his defensive ranks – in particular, a new centre-back – and the manager has highlighted a potential candidate from overseas.
Fluminense’s Nino permanently joined his club almost four years ago following a successful loan spell, and having made 239 appearances since then, he’s gone on to become the captain of his side in the Brazilian Serie A (Transfermarkt – Nino statistics).
Nino’s Transfer History | ||
|---|---|---|
Date: | Left: | Joined: |
Jan 13, 2020 | Criciuma EC | Fluminense |
Dec 31, 2019 | Fluminense | Criciuma EC |
Feb 25, 2019 | Criciuma EC | Fluminense |
Jul 1, 2016 | Criciuma U20 | Criciuma EC |
However, the Brazil international will have reached the expiration of his deal in December 2024 (Fluminense contracts), so should Fernando Diniz not want to lose his skipper for free, the 26-year-old will have to be sold in the coming weeks if he doesn’t sign an extension.
Liverpool eyeing Nino
According to Spanish reports (via CaughtOffside), Liverpool are interested in Nino ahead of January. The Anfield outfit have been alerted to his impressive performances since the start of the season, and it’s claimed that Klopp views next month as the ideal time to bring his target to Merseyside.
Fluminense’s prized asset has a €7m (£6m) release clause included in his current terms, and with this being a price that you would imagine is more than affordable for FSG, this could be one to keep a close eye on in the near future.
Nino could be a “talented” addition
Being 6 foot 1, Nino is constantly able to provide a physical presence in his own box, while he’s not afraid to get stuck into his individual battles both on and off the ground – he’s averaging 3.6 clearances and 2.6 aerial wins per game in the league (WhoScored – Nino statistics).
The Recife native is also extremely calm and composed in possession, as he has posted a 91.4% pass success rate as it stands, which is, albeit in a different competition, higher than the likes of Virgil van Dijk, Ibrahima Konate and Jarell Quansah (WhoScored – Liverpool statistics).
Sponsored by Adidas, Klopp’s target will even know what it takes to compete and be successful at a high level as he’s recently been crowned a Copa Libertadores winner with Fluminense, alongside receiving a medal for representing his country at the Olympics, so he will possess an excellent winning mentality.
As hailed by sports journalist Konstantinos Lianos, Nino is a “talented” centre-back, and with the likes of Joel Matip potentially set to leave the club at the end of the season, the former could prove to be an ideal long-term replacement for the veteran, whose time on Merseyside looks to be coming to an end.
