‘Advanced negotiations’: Transfer news journalist dropped intriguing Liverpool claim last night | OneFootball

Liverpool were reportedly seriously interested in signing Alan Varela in the summer just gone by.

Transfer news journalist Cesar Luis Merlo reported on X that the FC Porto midfielder was not allowed to sign for the Merseysiders in the prior transfer window.

In fact, the Portuguese outfit is now understood to be in ‘advanced negotiations’ with the 23-year-old over a new contract.

Did Liverpool want to sign Alan Varela in the summer transfer window?

(Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

Fabrizio Romano was a little coy when asked to discuss reports of Liverpool’s rumoured interest in Varela.

The CaughtOffside columnist confirmed that ‘many clubs’ were keeping an eye on the Argentine’s situation. More to the point, FC Porto hadn’t received any contact from us to indicate any intention on the part of Arne Slot’s men when it came to activating his £54.7m release clause.

Could Varela have been a Zubimendi alternative?

Our insistence on signing top priority target Martin Zubimendi in the summer transfer window meant that we refused to consider alternative avenues in the market once our plans fell apart.

But might Alan Varela have provided sporting director Richard Hughes with a suitable alternative pathway?

Kevin Hatchard admitted that the holding midfielder wasn’t quite up to the Spanish international’s level but the potential is obvious.

There is one caveat, of course, that we’d be remiss to mention. The failure to land a top No.6 has instead handed Ryan Gravenberch the perfect opportunity to thrive at the base of this Liverpool midfield under Arne Slot.

It’s speculation on our part, but it’s possible that the arival of Zubimendi, or even Varela, might have seriously threatened the Dutchman’s playing time at the start of 2024/25.

We may yet go back in for the Real Sociedad star (or his Porto counterpart perhaps) in the January transfer window, but until then, the holding midfield position is very much our No.38’s to lose.