Jamie Carragher could only applaud as one-time reported Liverpool target Federico Valverde impressed in the Champions League again last night.
Valverde has emerged as one of Europe’s most promising midfielders over recent years. After yet another excellent display he took home the Man of the Match award for Real Madrid’s 2-0 win over Chelsea.
Had things been different, maybe he could have been featuring for Liverpool. The Reds reportedly made a shock £86m bid for the Uruguayan on last summer’s transfer deadline day, but ended up with Arthur instead.
As if that wasn’t bad enough, Carragher has now taken to Twitter to rub salt in the wounds. Posting a simple clapping emoji alongside Valverde’s name, no more words are needed.
The 24-year-old would have been a superb signing for Liverpool, but it was never going to happen was it?
Liverpool miss out on potential superstar
As if any were needed, Valverde should give Liverpool yet more proof that they need to tap into the South American market.
The Uruguay international had played just 13 senior matches for Penarol when Real brought him to Spain. They took a gamble on Valverde’s talent, put him in the youth team, sent him on-loan and then reaped the rewards.
For all Liverpool’s savvy in the transfer market since 2016, they still haven’t quite cracked this side of the business.
At the moment, the Reds still prefer to sign players who’ve proven they can do the business in Europe. On paper, this is obviously a good strategy. But it does mean that the odd bargain can slip through the net.
Valverde looks tailor-made for Liverpool. As they reportedly found out last summer, he’s now completely out of their reach. All the money in the world couldn’t get him out of Madrid.
Of course, it must be said that isn’t all good. For all the praise coming his way, it’s worth noting that – as per The Athletic – Valverde is currently under investigation for an alleged punch on Villarreal’s Alex Baena on April 8th. If found guilty, he could reportedly face a ban of up to 12 games. Baena is also said to have made a police complaint about the incident.