Why Norwich should beat Liverpool to the signature of Nicolas Acevedo
According to a report from the Sun, EFL Championship outfit Norwich City are monitoring Uruguayan midfielder Nicolas Acevedo, who is also a subject of interest for Premier League leaders Liverpool, along with fellow bigwigs Chelsea and Manchester United.
Born in April 1999, Acevedo joined up with his local club FC Liverpool Montevideo and has risen through the ranks at a rapid rate. The 19-year-old broke into the senior team in October last year. He went on to make four appearances for the club by the time the 2018 Primera Division came to an end, registering a solitary assist in the process.
Having made a strong impression in his handful of appearances for the club, Acevedo got a call-up to the Uruguay U-20 national team in November 2018 and has since gone on to make six appearances for the team. The 19-year-old is currently involved with the U20s in the South American Championship and has started all four of their matches in the group stages.
A versatile operator, Acevedo can play as a defensive midfielder as well as a centre-back. The 19-year-old featured as a central defender in all his games for Liverpool Montevideo last year but has started in a holding midfield role in all the U20 championships for the national team.
Compared to fellow countryman and Arsenal star Lucas Torreira, Acevedo is known for his game-reading ability and the industry he brings in the middle of the park. At 19, he is still far from being a polished article but has shown plenty of promise in his fledgeling career so far.
Norwich City have emerged as a top contender for automatic promotion to the Premier League this season. The Canaries are currently occupying the second spot in the Championship just three points behind leaders Norwich City. Manager Daniel Farke has done a solid job of getting the best of the squad, despite having lost last season’s best player James Maddison to Leicester City in the summer.
The Canaries have a number of options in the middle of the park with the likes of summer signing Moritz Leitner, Mario Vrancic, Tom Trybull, Alex Tettey, Kenny McLean, Louis Thompson and the young Ben Godfrey, who has mostly been used as a centre-back by the manager this season.
However, considering the promise and potential that Acevedo has shown, they should step up their pursuit of the midfielder. Farke has shown that he has the ability to get the best out of young and talented players.
Acevedo is arguably one of the best players in the ongoing South American U20 Championship and is clearly destined for bigger and better things. While it is going to be hard to compete against the likes of Liverpool and Manchester United for his signing, the Canaries should go all out and try to secure the transfer as it could reap them great rewards in the longer run.
