Liverpool sent scouts to watch defender Goncalo Inacio during Portugal’s thumping 5-0 win over Bosnia and Herzegovina, 90min understands.
The 22-year-old made his fourth appearance for Portugal on Monday evening in their Euro 2024 qualifier against Bosnia and Herzegovina, bagging an assist and helping his nation keep a clean sheet in the vital win. The assist was, rather impressively, Inacio’s third goal contribution in his four caps having bagged a brace in the 9-0 win over Luxembourg during the September internationals.
As well as impressing at international level, the centre-back has continuously shone with Sporting CP since breaking into the first team during the 2020/21 season. Inacio has become a key player for Ruben Amorim’s side, making 129 appearances for his boyhood club.
This form has been noticed by Liverpool, with sources confirming to 90min that they have been monitoring the progress Inacio has made for well over a year – most recently sending scouts to watch the player during the win away at Bosnia and Herzegovina.
He is one of a number of centre-backs that Liverpool have been attributed with an interest in over the past few months. The Reds are currently on the lookout for potential long-term successors to Joel Matip and Virgil van Dijk, who are both 32 and seemingly past their prime at this point.
90min reported recently that Liverpool have taken a keen interest in Sao Paulo centre-back Lucas Beraldo as well. The Brazil Under-20 international has been one of the standout young defenders in South America in recent months, having helped his team win the Copa do Brasil – starting in the heart of the defence in both legs of the final clash against Flamengo.
In September, Liverpool also scouted Portugal’s Antonio Silva and Italy’s Giorgio Scalvini. Both young defenders will be very familiar to FM23 players, having been two of the most sought-after ‘wonderkids’ in the most recent iteration of the game.
90min understands that Liverpool aren’t the only club keen on Silva and Scalvini however, with Manchester United also utilising the September international break to scout the two talented centre-backs.
Along with keeping an eye on centre-back options recently, Liverpool also kept a close eye on Pedro Neto during Portugal’s win at Bosnia and Herzegovina. The wide player, who featured off the bench for Portugal in the victory, has been one of the most in-form players in the Premier League over the last month, earning plaudits for his performances for Wolves.
Arsenal, Aston Villa and Atletico Madrid have also notably taken notice of his recent form too, with the former being ‘long-term admirers’ of Neto.
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