Manchester City eye move for €70 million midfielder with competition from Liverpool

Premier League champions Manchester City could face competition from Liverpool as they show interest in FC Porto midfielder Alan Varela, according to reports.

The Argentine midfielder is a mainstay in the Portuguese giants’ first-team set-up, registering 22 appearances across all competitions so far this season, scoring one goal and providing two assists in the process from his defensive midfield role.

Varela’s rise to the forefront of European giants’ transfer attention has been rapid since joining the club in mid-August 2023 on a five-year contract from Boca Juniors, with Porto investing a reported €8 million plus €3 million package into the talent.

However, after less than just six months in the Portuguese top-flight, Porto could now be set to make a astronomical profit on their star midfielder, should two of Europe’s biggest clubs turn their watching admiration into concrete interest in the coming weeks and months.

That is according to the information of BolaVIP, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, who report that Premier League giants Liverpool and Manchester City would like to sign FC Porto midfielder Alan Varela during the upcoming summer transfer window.

From the viewpoint and thinking of Etihad Stadium officials, it is claimed that Manchester City would like Varela to replace the expected outgoing Kalvin Phillips, who is set to join West Ham on an initial loan deal this month with an option to buy in the summer.

However, unfortunately for both clubs interested in the 22-year-old, it is claimed that Porto would only sell for the price of his release clause, which is said to stand at €70 million on a contract running until the summer of 2028.

It will come as no surprise to see Manchester City linked with a new defensive midfielder following the struggles endured by Kalvin Phillips over his 18 months at the club, and that trend is likely to continue during the second-half of the season.

Should City not look to invest heavily in the position, Pep Guardiola could look towards existing options or the transformation of players into the holding midfield role, as seen by the rise of John Stones and Manuel Akanji in the Manchester City set-up.

The likes of Rico Lewis and Mateo Kovacic have also operated in the absence of Rodri at various times this season, whilst Matheus Nunes could yet be viewed as a lone number six, however Guardiola is understood to value the player’s ball-carrying capabilities.