Exploring the South American Market: Liverpool’s Interest in Alan Varela
Liverpool are known for their ability to spot talented players and have been linked with a new name in the midfield: Boca Juniors’ Alan Varela. The 21-year-old Argentine defensive midfielder has been scouted by the Reds and is said to have a release clause of $15 million (£11.7 million).
Who is Alan Varela?
Alan Varela is a 21-year-old Argentine defensive midfielder who has been playing for Boca Juniors since 2017. He is a key player for the team and has been scouted by Liverpool, Barcelona, and Newcastle.
Why is Liverpool Interested in Varela?
Liverpool supporters have pointed to the South American market as an area the Reds should be doing business. Brighton paid Argentinos Juniors £6.9 million in 2019 for Alexis Mac Allister, before sending him on loan to Boca Juniors for a season. Man City‘s capture of Julian Alvarez is another example, signed for £14.1 million. Capturing a player like Varela for what is a relatively low fee, then loaning him back to Boca to develop for another season could well prove a relatively low risk, high potential return.
Changes to Work Permit Rules
One of the reasons the South American market is now one English clubs can explore more is the changes made to work permit rules. For a club like Liverpool, it could open up a new source of talent in South America, as long as the players they identify are good enough to take up one of those valuable squad places.
Alexis Mac Allister’s Comparison of Liverpool and Boca Juniors
Mac Allister recently likened Liverpool to Boca in an interview while back on international duty with Argentina.
Liverpool’s Summer Focus on Midfielders
While Varela seems more like a signing for the future, especially as Boca’s season runs in line with the calendar year so would at the earliest be a January arrival, Liverpool’s main area of focus is midfielders for this summer. The short list for that continues to look like Khephren Thuram, Manu Kone, Gabri Veiga, Ryan Gravenberch and Romeo Lavia. All of those players are now currently away on international duty, so don’t expect any new signing to be confirmed imminently.
Conclusion
Liverpool are known for their ability to spot talented players and have been linked with a new name in the midfield: Boca Juniors’ Alan Varela. The 21-year-old Argentine defensive midfielder has been scouted by the Reds and is said to have a release clause of $15 million (£11.7 million). Changes to work permit rules have opened up the South American market for English clubs and Liverpool are looking to take advantage of this opportunity. While Varela seems more like a signing for the future, Liverpool’s main area of focus this summer is midfielders and they have a short list of five players they are looking at.