Liverpool transfer news: Who is Gabriel Mec, the Brazilian wonderkid on 'Reds' radar'?

Liverpool are interested in Gabriel Mec, who wore the number 10 shirt for the Selecao at the U17 World Cup.

Gabriel Mec learned very early to handle the responsibility that his (very) promising future places on his shoulders. The 17-year-old has been considered Gremio's brightest prospect for several years and wore the number 10 shirt for the Selecao at the 2025 U17 World Cup.

It is no wonder the gem is used to seeing his name linked with major European clubs. After coming very close to an agreement to join Chelsea, Mec is now on Liverpool's radar. The midfielder is seen by the Reds as a "new Vinicius Junior", due to his similar characteristics and the potential he could reach. But Gabriel Mec himself has other plans for this season.

Gabriel Mec has been at Gremio since the age of 9

Born in Campo dos Goytacazes (RJ), Mec has been at Gremio since January 2018. Aged just nine at the time, he underwent a trial period and was approved to join the Tricolor Gaucho Football School within the first week. Throughout his journey in Gremio's youth categories, Mec has already accumulated several titles, including four Gaucho Championships (U10, U11, U13 and U17). He is currently targeting a fifth title with the U20 side, who are in the semi-finals of the regional championship against Juventude.

This season, with the U20 team, Mec played his first matches against professional opponents in the Copa FGF — Zagallo Trophy, where Gremio were eliminated in the first phase. As part of the constant exchange between Gremio's first team and their youth categories, Mec had an opportunity to train with the senior squad at CT Luiz Carvalho. However, due to his age, he does not yet feature in manager Renato Portaluppi's plans.

Luis Castro motivates Gabriel Mec to stay at Gremio in 2026

Gabriel Mec's wish is to remain at Gremio in 2026, hoping to earn more playing time with the first team. The midfielder dreams of winning a title with Tricolor before leaving Porto Alegre. And his entourage believes he has good room for development this season. In this context, the appointment of Luis Castro as the new manager weighs heavily in the youngster's desire to stay at the club and his career planning.

The Portuguese manager's track record with FC Porto's youth categories and his preference for using young players generate hope that Mec will gain more playing time in 2026. Furthermore, the change in leadership, with Odorico Roman taking over as president, is also seen as a positive factor.

Gremio are also protected by the midfielder's recent contract renewal. Mec signed his first professional contract last year, valid until August 2027 with a release clause of around €45m (£39.5m).

The wonderkid is a long-standing dream for Liverpool

Liverpool's interest in the 17-year-old midfielder is nothing new. The English club have been monitoring Gabriel Mec for over a year and maintain frequent conversations with the player's entourage — which notably includes Neymar's father among his representatives.

Reds scouts have already attended the youngster's matches in person with Gremio in 2025 and have also followed him during some training sessions. So far, however, there has been no move from Liverpool to finalise the signing of the midfielder. Contacted by Trivela, Gremio's vice-president of football, Antonio Dutra Junior, stated that the club has not been approached by the Reds or any other team regarding a potential sale of Gabriel Mec.

Gabriel Mec, incidentally, will only be at Gremio in 2026 by his own choice. In the middle of this season, Tricolor's board had accepted a €15m (£13.2m) offer from Shakhtar for the youngster. But the player himself, in consultation with his entourage, decided not to pursue the deal.

This article was originally published on Trivela.