Liverpool get £12m signal that they can sign ‘spectacular’ 21-year-old this year

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Liverpool got a signal this week that they can sign Enzo Fernández this year. The player appeared to be heading elsewhere.

It’s been a whirlwind six months for Enzo Fernández. The midfielder joined Benfica in the summer and promptly established himself as a fantastic option for them.

That drew a bit of interest from elsewhere – reportedly, from Liverpool. UOL in Brazil were one outlet claiming the Reds liked Enzo, with Record in Portugal another.

We loved what we saw and called for fans to keep an eye on him at the World Cup. His incredible performances saw him crowned Best Young Player in Qatar – and drew even more interest. Both Marca and O Jogo reaffirmed that Liverpool wanted Enzo but it was Chelsea that pushed hardest for a player Lionel Messi called ‘spectacular’.

In fact, it looked like he was heading there – only for a twist to happen at the last minute. Record reported that Chelsea changed their plan on paying his release clause and attempted to negotiate with Benfica. That angered the club and drew ire from manager Roger Schmidt in a press conference.

Now, Liverpool are highly unlikely to capitalise on that collapse this month. Instead, we believe they want Enzo as an alternative to Jude Bellingham and would only move in the summer. It massively strengthens their position if he remains at the club, then, and the Reds got a £12m signal this week that he will do.

Liverpool can sign Enzo Fernández this year

Reports in Portuga, like from O Jogo, claimed that Benfica wanted Carlos Alcaraz as their replacement for Enzo. If he moved this month, that’s who they’d go for.

However, Argentinian journalist César Luis Merlo reports on Twitter that Alcaraz will now join Southampton. Benfica haven’t moved for the player, suggesting they won’t lose Enzo this month.

It’s further evidence that Enzo will still be on the market this summer and that Liverpool haven’t missed their chance. The Chelsea deal appears well and truly off, after all. Now their replacement is heading elsewhere. The signs are all there.

Liverpool, then, can enter the summer in a position of strength. Yes, Bellingham may be their no.1 but having Enzo available as an alternative makes that negotiation easier. Or, in the case of the Englishman heading elsewhere, the Reds would have the World Cup’s Best Young Player as a potential signing.

This is all very positive for Liverpool ahead of what promises to be an enormous summer.