Mexican Flag with football
Mexican Flag with football
After producing some dazzling displays during this summer’s World Cup, Mexico’s youngest World Cup debutant is a man in demand. The talented attacking midfielder has just turned 18 and has been tipped for a move, with Europe’s biggest clubs looking to capture the diminutive playmaker.
Two such clubs who have registered their interest in signing the Tijuana player are Premier League giants Liverpool and Arsenal, and former England, Aston Villa and Leicester City striker Emile Heskey thinks the teenage Mexican sensation should pick Liverpool over Arsenal.
Mora, who has a $28 million release clause in his contract, is also attracting attention from Real Madrid, Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund, and Benfica.
There is no doubting the potential of Mora who is the youngest player to represent a host nation at the World Cup after his debut for Mexico in the FIFA 2026 World Cup earlier this year.
17 – At 17 years and 240 days, Mexico’s Gilberto Mora is the youngest player to represent a host nation in the history of the FIFA World Cup. 🇲🇽 Pride. https://t.co/YozVVamIte
— OptaJoe (@OptaJoe)
Show Mora Liverpool’s heritage
Heskey thinks Liverpool should invite the player to Anfield to show him true football heritage, and predicts he would get more minutes on the pitch under Andoni Iraola than Mikel Arteta.
Speaking to BestBettingSites, Heskey said: “How could I convince Gilberto Mora to join Liverpool over Arsenal? Heritage. That’s it. He’d probably get more game time at Liverpool, but it’s just the football heritage, the passion of the club, everything. Nothing compares. You have to show them rather than just telling them.
“When you go to the club, when you walk around the stadium, when you walk around the trophy room, when you walk around the training ground and get that feel for it, that’ll draw you straight in. You feel the history and you think to yourself, ‘I want to make history with this club like those players’.”
“I joined Liverpool because of John Barnes,” says Heskey
Heskey then revealed that he joined Liverpool from Leicester because of his hero John Barnes, adding: “The only thing for me was because of John Barnes, I supported Liverpool. So whenever anyone came in, it was, “Well, I want to go to Liverpool.” It was a little bit different for me.”
He also revealed that Liverpool facilities weren’t as pristine back in the year 2000.
“Funny enough, we talk about training ground facilities, but I was at the old Melwood—it was a community centre, cricket pavilion shed kind of thing with a bar, and that was what it was like! So it wasn’t anything spectacular, but I wanted to join because I loved the club and to follow in my idol John Barnes’ footsteps. I also wanted to join because of the football heritage and for the opportunity to win the biggest trophies. Liverpool gives you some of the best opportunities to do that,” Heskey said.
Other South/Central American stars being pursued by PL clubs
As we covered recently Spurs are tracking River Plate’s Lautaro Pereyra in a deal that could be worth an astronomical fee of up to £87m which seems nuts.
Gilberto Mora who as mentioned has a reported $28 million release clause seems like a relative bargain hence the interest of so many other top European Clubs.