Enzo Fernandez would reportedly prefer a move to Liverpool should he decide to leave Benfica in the New Year.
The 21-year-old midfielder only joined the Portuguese giants in July, signing from River Plate for a fee in the region of €12m (£10.3m).
Fernandez has since elevated his game to new heights with Benfica, contributing with three goals and five assists in 24 appearances across all competitions so far this season.
The all-round midfielder was also one of the breakout stars at the 2022 World Cup with winners Argentina and was named the Young Player of the Tournament after a stellar showing in Qatar.
Fernandez is now set to become one of the most sought-after midfielders in Europe when they transfer window reopens in January, with Liverpool, Manchester United, Manchester City, Barcelona and Real Madrid rumoured to be interested in his services.
© Reuters
A recent report claimed that Jurgen Klopp's side had reached an agreement in principle to sign Fernandez at the end of the 2022-23 season.
However, a separate report has since stated that Liverpool are unlikely to pursue a January move for the Argentine or Borussia Dortmund's Jude Bellingham – another player high on Klopp's list of midfield targets – due to their hefty price tags.
Fernandez still has four-and-a-half years left to run on his Benfica contract which is understood to have a €120m (£103m) release clause.
According to The Mirror, Anfield would be Fernandez's preferred destination should the Reds decide to step up their interest in the midfielder.
© Reuters
Liverpool reached an agreement with Benfica to sign striker Darwin Nunez over the summer, with the Uruguayan joining the club in a deal which could rise to a club-record £85m.
Two years earlier, Benfica sold Ruben Dias to Manchester City for around £65m and in the summer of 2019 they received around £114m from Atletico Madrid for forward Joao Felix, with this deal still standing as the club's most expensive departure.
Liverpool opted against splashing the clash on a new centre-midfielder over the summer and instead recruited Arthur Melo from Juventus on a season-long loan deal.
However, the Brazilian has struggled with injuries and is yet to make his Premier League debut, while the likes of Naby Keita and Alex-Oxlade Chamberlain have also endured frustrating periods on the treatment table this season.
Liverpool currently sit sixth in the Premier League table, 15 points behind leaders Arsenal, and they return to competitive action with a clash away at Manchester City in the EFL Cup fourth round on Thursday.
Oliver Thomas
