Liverpool’s summer got off to a good start when the team completed the signing of Fabinho for a reported fee of £43.7m. The club must bounce back after their Champions League final loss against Real Madrid in Kiev and Fabinho’s presence will certainly strengthen their forces.
However, the Kop hearts will be aching after the club failed in their pursuit of Lyon captain Nabil Fekir. Liverpool reportedly demanded a lower fee after medical scans showed a minor injury problem with the player. Subsequently, Lyon announced via their website that all negotiations had come to a standstill.
There is no certainty as to whether or not Liverpool will return for the French midfielder after the World Cup but the Reds must look at alternatives.
And as per reports, Sporting Lisbon attacker Gelson Martins is on the Reds’ radar. The 23-year-old is currently in Russia playing for the Portuguese national team. The youngster enjoyed a fruitful campaign with his club and after Rui Patricio’s move to Wolverhampton Wanderers, Martins could be the next one to make way to the Premier League.
The 23-year-old is one of the many players to have terminated their contracts with Sporting CP. Their move comes after a difficult few weeks in Lisbon, notably last month when 50 fans forced their way into the team’s training camp and assaulted players and staff.
Martins played 30 games in the Portuguese League last season, scoring 8 goals and providing 8 assists in that time. He has got plenty of pace and is a versatile midfielder, who can play a variety of roles in the midfield. His control of the ball is rather smooth while his direct runs make him tough to mark.
Liverpool are yet to replace Phillipe Coutinho but they will have to do so sooner rather than later. That said, Martins might be too young to fill the Brazilian’s shoes by himself and Klopp must scan the market for other players as well.
However, Martins will be in good hands at Anfield, considering the German gaffer’s ability to develop youngsters into superstars. Since the Reds can land Martins free of cost, Liverpool must definitely pursue a move for him this summer.
