Another day, another link to a player we’d never heard of!
(Until some quick internet scout reporting…)
This time, it’s Anderlecht’s Samuel Bastien – the 19-year-old midfielder.
Last term, he spent the season on loan at Serie B side Avellino, and did very well. Now, Avellino’s mouthpiece Irpinianews confirmed that their club has missed out on capturing the Belgium U21 midfielder again, because he’s instead on the verge of signing for Liverpool.
They claim that a fee between €5m and €6m has already been agreed, and despite late attention from Serie A giants Fiorentina, Bastien will end up at Anfield.
From what he could find out about Bastien, he’s very slight – at 5 ft. 7′, and drifts between the lines to find pockets of space from which he can create. He’s very comfortable on the ball and can feed attackers with longer balls or zipped, shorter ones. Physically he’s not powerful yet, but is quick and uses his body well to protect the ball.
If his signing has been correctly reported, he’ll become the latest in a long line of talented youngsters brought to the club. Jurgen Klopp has already signed Marko Grujic and Loris Karius this summer, while we already have the likes of Divock Origi and Emre Can in and around the first-team before their 23rd birthdays.