West Ham United midfielder and Liverpool target Mateus Fernandes has also emerged as a target for Manchester City and Manchester United, the latest report has revealed.
The Reds earned their first Premier League win since February on Saturday, beating Fulham 2-0 at Anfield thanks to goals from Rio Ngumoha and Mohamed Salah.
Fans were pleasantly surprised by the club’s performance given the team have been vulnerable in a number of areas, including in midfield.
Several midfielders have been linked with summer moves to Merseyside, with some reports suggesting that Liverpool could move to sign Portuguese star Mateus Fernandes from West Ham.
However, WestHamZone claim that Manchester City are the latest club to join the race for West Ham star Fernandes, who could be available for a modest sum if the Hammers suffer relegation.
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Mateus Fernandes assessed: Why do Liverpool want West Ham star?
Ryan Gravenberch has played as Liverpool’s deepest midfield player for nearly two seasons, and while he displayed some promise during the early months of Arne Slot’s tenure, he has struggled in possession and defensively recently.
Fernandes has averaged 36.5 accurate passes per 90 for West Ham in the Premier League, and though his Liverpool counterpart has averaged 48.6, the Reds’ average possession figure of 59.9% is far more than West Ham’s figure of 42.2%.
It should be noted the Portuguese star averages more key passes per 90 (1.1) than Gravenberch (0.8), and his tally of three big chances created is only one fewer than the Reds midfielder.
The 21-year-old also boasts a significantly higher tackle rate per 90 (2.7) than the Liverpool man (1.7), and his skillset at both ends of the pitch could be valuable next season.
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What can Liverpool do to beat Man United and Man City?
If Liverpool fail to qualify for the Champions League, they will be at a significant disadvantage compared to Man City and Man United.
Slot’s only card in the race to sign Fernandes could be the fact there is uncertainty at both United and City ahead of the summer.
The futures of Michael Carrick and Pep Guardiola are rumoured to be in doubt, and though Slot’s own future is reportedly in danger, Liverpool may be able to get ahead of their rivals if they make a decision about their head coach sooner rather than later.
