Liverpool

Liverpool: Journalist claims Reds now have an edge in pursuit of certain transfer targets

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Image for Liverpool: Journalist claims Reds now have an edge in pursuit of certain transfer targets

Matt Addison has claimed on The Red Agenda podcast that Liverpool’s Julian Ward gives them an edge when going after players either Portuguese nationals or from that domestic league.

Liverpool moved quickly to complete the large bulk of their summer business signing Portuguese youngster Fabio Carvalho from Fulham and then made a big splash in the transfer market by landing the highly coveted Darwin Nunez from Benfica.

Nunez is the second player to arrive at Anfield from Portugal’s top division after Luis Diaz joined from FC Porto in January and this new market Liverpool are exploring could be down to Julian Ward who is taking over from Michael Edwards as sporting director.

Addison spoke about why these feel like Ward signings given his past work scouting in Portugal and working for the Portuguese Football federation.

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(11:35) “He speaks Portuguese, and worked with the Portuguese national team, you can kind of get a feel for which clubs around Europe are the ones where the talent can develop best.

“Obviously, it works the same way if Liverpool are sending a player out on loan to a club and they know that club is a good environment and therefore know the club is a good place to pick up the players if they deem, for example, Porto to be a good place to send a player.

“By definition that also means that Porto is a good place for their players to have developed and therefore, would come onto Liverpool’s radar.

“It’s a perfect match really in terms of the kind of network, contacts and relationships that he’s been able to pick up with these clubs, such as Porto, Sporting and Benfica, but also elsewhere across the continent and whenever Liverpool have sent players out, he’s not just speaking tot he player he’s speaking to people within those clubs, he’s got that direct link really with everyone that he needs to know within that club.”

TIF Thoughts on Liverpool’s desire to do business in Portugal…

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It would be hard to argue against Liverpool believing the Portuguese market is one of the best ones about, whether that be players from that country or ones playing their trade in the league, you just have to look at the likes of Bruno Fernandes, Diaz and Nunez for players that have excelled recently in their careers.

With Nunez, it’s a lot more difficult to say how good he is given that he’s only played in the top division of Portugal and in no other European country, however, if he takes to life at Liverpool as Diaz did with his four goals and five assists, it will be an indicator to many more clubs to start shopping in that same market.

Following the arrival of Nunez from Benfica, it appears that Liverpool could well be tempted to go back to Portugal as they are being linked with a move for Porto’s Otavio who would reportedly only set them back ££8 million.

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