Liverpool Chase Man Utd’s $74M Target Who Is Believed To Be Next Bruno Fernandes: Report

Liverpool FC are reportedly chasing Sporting Lisbon’s Pedro Goncalves who is believed to be the next “Bruno Fernandes.”

Liverpool have made contact with Sporting Lisbon regarding Goncalves’ transfer ahead of the 2021 summer market, reported soccer website Teamtalk. Goncalves, who is also on Manchester United’s target list, is contracted with Sporting Lisbon until 2025 and has a release clause of around $74 million.

The 2020-21 Primeira Liga champions Sporting, in order to wave off interest from Liverpool and other clubs, are planning to tie Goncalves in a new deal that would take his exit clause to around $98 million, the report further stated.

In 36 competitive matches this season, Goncalves has netted 20 goals and provided five assists for the Lisbon-based club.

After kickstarting his professional career at the English club Wolves in 2017, Goncalves moved to the Portuguese club Famalicão in the summer of 2019. The following season saw Goncalves switch to Sporting and in no time filled the void left by the departure of Fernandes.

Fernandes moved to Manchester United during the 2020 January transfer window. He helped the Red Devils finish in the top four of the Premier League in the 2019-20 campaign and has been instrumental in their run in the ongoing term. In the 2020-21 season, Manchester United are currently placed second in the league table and have qualified for the Europa League’s final.

It is understood that Goncalves could follow Fernandes’ footsteps and move to Manchester United this summer. It has also been reported that the Old Trafford side is seeing Goncalves as a cheaper alternative for Jadon Sancho.

Meanwhile, Liverpool, who are looking to bolster their squad this summer, are considering 22-year-old Goncalves as an ideal replacement for Gini Wijnaldum, who is set to leave Anfield as a free agent at the end of the 2020-21 campaign. Ever since Philippe Coutinho left Liverpool in 2018, the Reds have lacked his creativity in his position and that could be regained by the arrival of talented Goncalves.

Even though Goncalves is a right-winger, he has accepted the central role on various occasions without any trouble to carter the void left by his compatriot Fernandes. This very feature of Goncalves would prove fruitful for Jurgen Klopp ahead of the 2021-22 season.