Man Utd and Liverpool in race to sign Benfica ace

FT Desk

• 6 Nov 2022 08:51 GMT
• 3 min read

Manchester United and Liverpool both want to strengthen in central midfield, and nascent Argentina star Enzo Fernandez should be available at the end of the season despite only joining Benfica in the summer.

England's two most successful clubs have been tracking Fernandez since he broke through in his native Argentina with River Plate, but Benfica won the race for his signature with the promise of first-team football while the other two focused on other targets.

United paid Real Madrid €80m for Casemiro - a player in Fernandez's position - while Liverpool decided to wait on Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham, which, with the power of hindsight, might have been a mistake.

READ: The 20 Argentina youngsters with the most potential

The Reds have seen Thiago Alcantara, Naby Keita, Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain and Artur Melo - a loan acquisition from Juventus - struggle with injury this season, while Real Madrid and Manchester City have entered the fray for Bellingham.

But Fernandez has perhaps been better than expected at Benfica, averaging 10 progressive passes and five shot-creating actions per game and making his full Argentina debut in September.

The Argentine aged 21 or under with the highest potential rating per Football Transfers' partner SciSports, Fernandez is fast outgrowing the Primeira Liga according to Portuguese journalist Sofia Oliveira.

READ: Why Benfica couldn't wait to sell Darwin Nunez to Liverpool

'On the market at the end of the season'

"Enzo Fernandez was a good fit for Manchester United," she told CNN Portugal. "Fernandez is one of the most complete players that have passed through Portugal in recent years.

"He runs a lot and can also make a difference from set pieces. He's a very complete midfielder and Argentina will have a world class player on their hands if everything goes well.

"He will probably be on the market at the end of the season."

Liverpool have a good working relationship with Benfica, as evidenced by the swiftness of Darwin Nunez summer arrival from the Estadio da Luz, and they will hope that helps them steal a march on United.

They shouldn't expect to get the €28m-rated midfielder for cheap, though - Darwin cost €100m!