Could this Portuguese gem be a long-term Steven Gerrard replacement…?
Liverpool have been sending scouts to Portugal to keep a very close on Ruben Neves, FC Porto’s wonderkid holding midfielder, reports the Mirror.
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The 17-year-old is a regular in the Portugal Under-21 side, and turns out for the Champions League outfit regularly, too.
He plays at the base of midfield, and prides himself on his ability to break up opposition play as well as begin attacks from deep. Neves passes the ball excellently, and is extremely composed in possession despite his young age.
As a result of his attributes, he’s already been compared to arguably the best defensive midfielder in the world, currently plying his trade in Barcelona…
“He is fantastic with the ball at his feet, he knows how to position himself and he’s aggressive,” said Cristian Tello, on loan at Porto from the Catalan giants.
“He’s similar to Sergio Busquets.”
While Neves is extremely talented, he’s likely to cost a very large transfer fee, as Porto never let their talented stars go cheaply. If he continues developing at the rate he currently is however, it could prove an astute piece of business, as for his age, he’s probably the best holding player in the world right now.