Liverpool eyeing 19-year-old Samba star with £52m release clause

Liverpool eyeing Brazilian talent Lucas Beraldo for defensive reinforcement.

90min (h/t Liverpool Echo) reports that Liverpool are tracking the progress of young Sao Paolo defender Lucas Beraldo. Beraldo has emerged as a stand-out performer for the Brazilian club since breaking into the senior team in 2022. The young Brazilian has a release clause of £52m.

The 19-year-old played a pivotal role for Tricolor Paulista during their Copa Do Brasil success against Flamengo in the final.

The BrazilianU20 has made 42 appearances for Sao Paolo so far with one goal to his name.  Beraldo is physically well-built despite his young age and stands at 6 feet 1 inches tall.

The 19-year-old has good tactical awareness, he reads the game well and applies his tackling, interception, and clearance ability accordingly.

Beraldo has immense talent and intelligence to build the game from the back and distribute the ball with impeccable passing.

Liverpool have four options in defense currently with Ibrahima Konate, Joel Matip, Joe Gomez, and Virgil van Dijk. Liverpool youngster Jarell Quansah is the back-up option for the Merseyside giants and he has featured more this season.

The club is currently playing Matip in the last year of his contract, and it is highly unlikely that they will renew it. The 32-year-old has been a valuable player for the club since signing as a free agent in 2016.

Matip struggled with form and injuries in the last couple of seasons at Liverpool. Whereas, Van Dijk faced inconsistencies and a dip in form since his ACL injury in the 2020-21 season. The Liverpool captain has started the current season with performances that him one of the best defenders in the world.

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Liverpool desires a player who fits the profile of the Brazilian, but the youngster’s potential is still very raw. South American talents require time when they move to Europe and Beraldo deserves the same amount of patience. We think the Reds will be looking to reinforce the defense next summer or maybe from January 2024 onwards. Liverpool revamped their midfield during the summer and long-term replacements for Matip will be a priority.