Liverpool are reportedly monitoring Newcastle United midfielder Bruno Guimaraes this summer, but a host of Premier League rivals are also in the mix.
The Reds know the importance of adding to their midfield ahead of next season, even if Alexis Mac Allister and Curtis Jones both end up staying put.
Liverpool looked tired in that area last time around, especially Mac Allister but also Ryan Gravenberch, and young pair Adam Wharton and Alex Scott are among the players to emerge as options.
Now, a more experienced figure is being linked with a summer move to Anfield, with Caught Offside reporting that the Reds are “closely monitoring” Newcastle captain Bruno.
That said, there is a huge amount of interest from other clubs, too, with Manchester United, Manchester City, Barcelona, Real Madrid and Inter Milan all mentioned as options.
Is Bruno Guimaraes the right style of player for Liverpool?
Bruno is a fantastic player who has been such an influential player for Newcastle, scoring once and assisting twice against Liverpool, providing box-to-box energy and being hailed by Newcastle legend Alan Shearer:
“Everything good about Newcastle, he was at the heart of it. Whether he was keeping the ball, protecting the ball, adding that little bit of quality with his passing, his movement, his ability to find space that not many others can. His [first] goal was a well-worked set piece, a great ball in from [Kieran] Trippier, but that is such a difficult technique. To hit it like that, eyes on the ball watching it all the way. To get the direction and power that he did, it was an incredible goal.”
Despite this, Bruno arguably isn’t the profile of player that Liverpool should be looking for in their midfield, considering he is already 28 and not the most dynamic footballer around, in terms of pace.
In many ways, the Brazil international is a similar player to Alexis Mac Allister, with the Reds instead needing a different option with more speed and long-term potential.
If Liverpool did end up with Bruno, it wouldn’t be a bad thing, but Andoni Iraola feels more likely to go with a younger alternative in the middle of the park.