Fabrizio Romano has dismissed the possibility of Liverpool making a last-minute move for a midfielder who had been linked with them throughout the summer.
Earlier this month, Steve Kay mentioned on KS1 TV that Porto’s Alan Varela was being pursued by Liverpool officials, with reports suggesting that CEO of Football Michael Edwards and head coach Arne Slot were very impressed with the 23-year-old.
However, in his Daily Briefing on Friday morning, Romano stated that there has been ‘no contact’ from Liverpool to the Portuguese club in recent weeks.
Romano addressed the numerous inquiries from Liverpool fans about Alan Varela, noting that while many clubs have shown interest, Porto’s stance has remained unchanged: Varela will only be sold for his release clause of €65m (£54.7m). He confirmed that Porto has not received any offers or communication from Liverpool.
“Their stance is straightforward. If any clubs are interested in Varela, they must meet the €65m release clause. However, Porto is determined to keep him and is not open to negotiations. Additionally, they plan to revise his contract in the coming month. That’s the current situation.”
Although the failed pursuit of Martin Zubimendi a few weeks ago indicated that Liverpool want to bring in a defensive midfielder, the Reds will now need to pull a real rabbit from the hat to strengthen in that position in the final hours of the transfer window,
Varela ranks among the top 12% in Europe for pass completion and progressive passes per game over the past year, showcasing excellent ball distribution. However, his defensive metrics, such as tackles and interceptions per 90 minutes, are relatively weaker (FBref).
Unless there is a significant last-minute move before 11pm tonight, Liverpool might miss out as Porto could extend the 23-year-old’s contract amid ongoing transfer rumors.
For now, it appears that Slot will continue to rely on Ryan Gravenberch as his primary defensive midfielder, with Wataru Endo available as a specialist number 6 and Alexis Mac Allister also capable of filling that role if needed.
