Liverpool have this week been linked with 17-year-old Vasco da Gama starlet Talles Magno, with AS reporting that Jurgen Klopp’s side lead the race for the Brazilian forward.
The youngster, who has a release clause of £43m, has been labelled the ‘next Neymar’ and would represent a forward-thinking outlook from the Liverpool recruitment team.
The left-winger has emerged over the last 12 months as a superstar in the making, having broken into the Rio de Janeiro based outfit’s starting lineup and playing a key part in Brazil’s capture of the 2019 Under 17 World Cup.
Magno is an accomplished dribbler; blessed with pace and outstanding vision, and these attributes have seen him establish himself successfully in Ramon Menezes’ lineup, making 22 appearances, scoring two goals.
His most recent appearance came in a Copa Sudamericana tie against Bolivian outfit Oriente Petrolero, in which he assisted the tie’s only goal.
His physique, standing at 185 cm at only age 17, would present the considerable raw potential for Jurgen Klopp’s coaching staff. Potential which could have him seen as a long term replacement for Sadio Mane, who has recently been linked strongly with a move to Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Tactically, Magno is a seamless fit into Liverpool’s dynamic front three. The right-footed attacker plays off the left, consistently cutting inside and posing a shooting and crossing threat to opposing defences, and allowing the overlapping runs of marauding fullbacks, the likes of which form an important part of Liverpool’s system.
The Brazilian has been valued at £21m, a price which would represent strong value for the Merseyside outfit. His signing would be consistent with Liverpool’s concerted effort to recruit the best young talent globally of late, in which Liverpool have recruited the likes of Ki-Jana Hoever, Yasser Larouci, Harvey Elliott and Vitzeslav Jaros.
However whether Klopp would be willing to sanction a move for the Brazilian is unclear. Curtis Jones and Elliott seem certain to become key parts of Liverpool’s forward rotation, and whether Liverpool would be prepared to potentially halt their development with the signing of a young foreign forward seems uncertain, particularly with Liverpool’s desire to develop homegrown talent.
Magno however, who last year was named in the Guardian’s ‘Next Generation 2019’, is an outstanding talent, whose potential has seen him also attract interest from Benfica, and would be a welcome addition to any club. Whether a move is still possible in the wake of COVID-19’s disastrous impact on the financial side of football is unclear, however his quality is undoubted.
