Liverpool are in the race to sign one of Portugal’s rising stars, Bruno Fernandes, according to O Jogo (h/t Metro). The 23-year-old has made four appearances for the national side and has been a regular for Sporting Lisbon as well.

The Reds have been monitoring Fernandes’ performances for a while now, according to the report. Liverpool officials have already met with the player’s representatives to discuss his future.

While Fernandes would want to star in the upcoming World Cup, it will be interesting to see just where he lands after the summer transfer window.

The 23-year-old can play out wide or as a defensive midfielder too, giving Jurgen Klopp a lot of options. Fernandes also has an eye for goal and has scored 16 goals in all competitions for Sporting with 12 assists too.

The Portuguese star has also played 48 games for his club this season, showing he is made of stern stuff and that he can be played on a regular basis.

For Liverpool, this could be great news given that we are still unsure about the future of Emre Can since the German’s contract will come to an end.

Fernandes will be a name to keep an eye out for in the future but getting him out of the club with the high release clause will be a tough task. Liverpool are not known for having pockets as deep as the likes of Real Madrid, PSG and Manchester City and it remains to be seen if we can raise the funds required to sign him.

The Portuguese star might be able to get a few more clubs interested in him if he enjoys a great World Cup and who knows, it might even add a few more millions to his current £87m release clause then.