Fabrizio Romano has described one player who Liverpool have scouted as ‘an amazing option for any club’.
Last month, Steve Kay told the EOTK Insider show that Goncalo Inacio is Jurgen Klopp ‘number one target’ for January, having been linked with the Reds throughout the summer.
The Italian transfer reporter has now shared what he knows on the Sporting Lisbon defender in his latest Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside, outlining that the Merseysiders have sent scouts to watch the 22-year-old without making any formal approached to the Portuguese club for him.
Romano stated: “Goncalo Inacio continues to impress as one of the top young defenders in Europe, showing huge potential with Sporting Lisbon and recently working his way onto Manchester United’s potential list of targets, as I reported here.
“But there is also Liverpool – the Reds have always been in the stands to scout and follow Inacio, but at the same time they never sent official bids or started negotiations.
“There’s nothing new so far, as he signed a new deal at Sporting in August as there was nothing concrete happening with UK clubs. Still, I think he’d be an amazing option for any club, Liverpool or United in particular; left footed players at that level are very rare to find.”
It’s not just Romano who’s spoken very highly of Inacio among the media – the aforementioned Kay described the 22-year-old as ‘an elite defender’ who offers a ‘threat going forward in the air’, boasts ‘an excellent passing range’ and is ‘fantastic at driving out of defence’.
The journalist added that Liverpool capturing him would potentially turn them into genuine Premier League title contenders, such is his quality.
The numbers back up these glowing appraisals of the Sporting centre-back, who in this season’s Europa League has averaged 1.5 shots, four successful aerial duels, 1.5 interceptions, 5.5 clearances and 7.5 accurate long balls per game, along with a passing success rate of 90.1% (WhoScored).
Inacio’s left-footedness could also be a major plus point, with all of the Reds’ current central defensive options stronger on their right (Transfermarkt).
There have been reports in recent days that Fluminense midfielder Andre Trindade would be Liverpool’s main target for January, but considering the attributes boasted by the Portuguese defender, he could also be well worth inclusion near the top of the to-do list in the winter.