Fabio Vieira is available this summer, according to reports. Liverpool supposedly want him and the price will tempt them.
Journalist Bruno Andrade claimed earlier in the week that Liverpool want Fabio Vieira. We detailed our thoughts on that here – it’s a strange situation.
Vieira is 21 but hasn’t actually got much football under his belt. He’s barely played over the last two season, struggling to get into the Porto side ahead of Otavio.
His contract is up in a year, too, according to Andrade. He shouldn’t be very expensive, then, but you’d also question why Liverpool want him.
The answer to the latter is simple – he’s just won the U21 Euros Best Player award. Vieira is a great prospect, just one Porto aren’t really using.
Now CMJournal are also claiming that Liverpool want Vieira. They’ve put a price to the interest, too – around £17m. That’s a risk that may well tempt the Reds.
The Fabio Vieira risk
£17m on a player who was just named the best at an U21 tournament sounds like a bit of a bargain. £17m on a player with five Liga NOS starts sounds like an aberration.
It all depends on what you see as more likely – that Vieira had a one-off tournament or that Porto aren’t giving him the right opportunities.
And that’s not easy to judge. Both are entirely understandable beliefs.
What convinces us that this is a risk Liverpool might take, though, is that we find it hard to believe they’re only interested on the back of that award. They must have had eyes on him for years – it’s how they operate.
We’d back Liverpool to talk that price down, too. With one year on his deal and no clear place in the Porto side, Vieira surely isn’t going for £17m.
Get it down to £10m – £13m and it’s a palatable fee. Especially as it could net Liverpool a very promising young talent. It’s still a risk but probably one worth taking if Vieira’s potential is real.