Liverpool should continue to pursue an interest in Joao Felix
According to the Mirror, Liverpool have had an audacious £61million bid for 19-year-old Joao Felix rejected by Benfica.
The same report claims that the academy product, who recently signed a new deal with his boyhood club, has a mammoth release clause of £105 million.
A number of top European clubs including Manchester City, Manchester United, PSG and Barcelona are keeping our tabs on the development of the winger. (h/t Mirror)
While many fans might wonder the relevance of such a massive price tag for an unknown youngster, it is worthwhile to mention that Joao Felix is not just another promising youngster on the planet. An academy product of Benfica, the 19-year-old has already proved his mettle in the Portuguese Primeira Liga this season, accumulating 4 goals and an assist so far.
Well, there might be many youngsters around who are endowed with prodigious talent but few have actually hit the ground running at the senior level with their enchanting skills and jaw-dropping technique.
At the tender age of 19, Felix has shown that he has the ability to make the opposition dance to his tunes, keep the fans watching with eagle-eyed intrigue and evoke interest even amongst those who do not hold a genuine interest in football. A regular for Portugal at all youth levels, Felix is yet to represent his nation at the senior international level but he is likely to achieve that feat very soon given his stellar run of form.
Blessed with a wonderful technique, Joao Felix is essentially a No.10 by trade but he often been used on the wings by the managers to bring his agility and sharpness into play.
Calm and comfortable in possession, world-class dribbling skills, razor-sharp turns, instant acceleration, incredible vision and immense tactical awareness – Felix has all the necessary ammunition in his repertoire to taste success as an attacking midfielder. However, what makes him stand head and shoulders above rest of the young players in the same mould, is his ability to utilise and combine all the aspects of his game.
Young players are often accused of trying to overdo things and excessive showboating but Felix has an extremely cool head on his shoulders, showing maturity in crucial situations that defy his tender years.
To put things into perspective, Joao Felix has the potential of being someone like Kylian Mbappe or Neymar in the future and it would be a no-brainer for any top European club to snap up a youngster of his calibre. Liverpool might have had their bid rejected but the Reds should continue to keep close tabs on the player’s development.
Liverpool are currently well-stocked in all departments and have enough talent in their ranks to challenge for silverware at both the domestic and European fronts. Having built a formidable unit over the last three years, it is now time for Jurgen Klopp to start investing for the future.
Granted, Liverpool have a good blend of youth and experience in their set-up and the Reds have done a great job by tying their key players down to long-term contracts. However, a player like Joao Felix can make it to the first team in the foreseeable future by the sheer dint of his merit.
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Even if Liverpool do not return with a second bid for the player in January, the Reds should keep him in their plans for the future. They have the financial backing to claim big scalps in the transfer market. Felix might not be a household name just yet but he has already shown signs of taking European football by storm in the years to come.
