Liverpool are reportedly leading the pursuit of Diogo Leite, with Arsenal and Manchester City among the clubs in the chasing pack for the FC Porto defender.
According to The Guardian, Liverpool are nearing the completion of their first deal to seal the first arrival of the summer transfer window. FC Porto teenager Diogo Leite has been on the radar of Arsenal, Manchester City, Liverpool and other clubs for a while. But, the Reds are the ones who are leading the pack and are the favourites to land the centre-back.
Diogo Leite has come through the FC Porto academy setup and while the teenager is yet to make his senior debut for the Portuguese giants, his talent and potential is already starting to attract a lot of clubs. Leite’s performances for FC Porto B in the Ledman Liga Pro and for the FC Porto Under 19s in the UEFA Youth League have been impressive enough to get the top brass of the Premier League involved.
According to the report, Liverpool, Arsenal and Manchester City are all set to battle it out for the 19-year-old while the likes of Manchester United and Bournemouth have also been linked with the teenage centre-back.
At Emirates, a revolution is set to start, with Arsene Wenger giving way to a new manager in the summer – one that is yet to be selected by the Arsenal hierarchy. There are likely to be wholesale changes in defence as well, with many touted to be on their way out while some could be on the chopping block, depending on the new manager’s preference.
Manchester City’s interest could very well come from the fact that they need more depth in the said area and Leite could be viable option to consider. What could also be a contributing factor is the financial feasibility and the player’s future potential.
Liverpool though, could actually use a player of Leite’s quality. The FC Porto teenager could, along with the likes of Joe Gomez and Ragnar Klavan can become the backup of the first-choice pairing of Virgil van Dijk and Dejan Lovren. But, the Reds should be wary, since their past two transfers from Portugal have not panned out as well, with Joao Teixeira and Tiago Llori both failing to even get to double figures for Liverpool before being moved off the books.
Diogo Leite will be a wanted man in the summer. But, chances are, his best shot at reaching the first-team will be at FC Porto. Despite the interest from Arsenal, Manchester City and Liverpool, the 19-year-old might just decide to stay put. Or there might be an agreement that sees Leite being loaned back to Porto for a season.
