Liverpool tipped to SHATTER transfer record for Argentinian wonderkid

Liverpool are reportedly interested in signing a 17-year-old Argentinian midfielder for what would be a record transfer fee.

Arne Slot is flying high at the moment, sitting top of the Premier League and Champions League tables having made few changes to the squad that he inherited from Jurgen Klopp.

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However, it’s clear that Slot does need some reinforcements in certain areas of the squad if his success is to continue long-term, with injuries and fixture congestion causing issues.

Next season could see Liverpool without Mohamed Salah, Trent Alexander-Arnold and Virgil van Dijk when their contracts expire in June, while replacements will be needed for Darwin Nunez and Andy Roberston in the near future.

Liverpool also have one of the oldest squads in the league, with only Newcastle, Man City, Fulham, Everton and West Ham having a higher average age than the Reds’ 26.4 years.

All this points to a need to invest in some younger talent to improve the squad’s long-term prospects.

Slot already has a number of high quality youngsters to call upon, with Trey Nyoni and Rio Ngumoha in particular exciting many Reds fans.

And now it looks like the club could be about to add another incredible teenager to their ranks.

Liverpool tracking River Plate's Franco Mastantuono

According to a report in Argentina, the club are lining up a move for River Plate’s 17-year-old wonderkid Franco Mastantuono.

River Noticias report that Liverpool are one of a number of clubs who want to make a move for the attacking midfielder, who has already featured in 40 games in the Argentinian first division.

He's noted as one of Argentina's most-exciting prospects and has already announced himself as one to watch with an incredible free-kick earlier this year.

River have already lost another of their teenage sensations, Claude Echeverri, to Man City for €25m this season, and are expecting Mastantuono to depart - potentially in the January transfer window.

Liverpool would face competition from both Barcelona and Real Madrid for Mastantuono's signature, as both sides are also tracking his progress this season.

The report states that Mastantuono would only be available if his release clause is met, which would see him become the most-expensive transfer from the Argentinian leagues ever.

Per Transfermarkt, Enzo Fernandez's move from River to Benfica is currently the record transfer fee at €44.25m. However, he was initially signed for just €10m, with the majority of the record fee coming through a sell-on clause when he moved from Benfica to Chelsea after the 2022 World Cup.

Mastantuono's release clause is reportedly set to rise to approximately €47m by the end of the January transfer window, so a potential transfer would more than triple the initial fee for Fernandez.

The move would be a departure from Liverpool’s usual approach in the transfer market, as the club tend to prefer to let South American players prove themselves in Europe rather than signing them directly.

That’s exactly what they did with Alexis Mac Allister, and what they attempted to do in signing Moises Caicedo. Both midfielders would have been available for lower fees if they were bought directly from Argentina and Ecuador respectively, but the decision-makers at the club decided against taking the risk.

However, the success that some Premier League clubs have had in bringing in young, exciting players from South America could mean Liverpool try to do the same.

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