Liverpool eye 'new Javier Mascherano' in £60m deal amid PSG and Borussia Dortmund competition

Liverpool are among three teams to have 'come forward' for FC Porto midfielder Alan Varela, according to reports.

Varela has been a regular feature for Porto since making his move to the Portuguese side from Boca Juniors in August. The 22-year-old has 27 starts to his name across all competitions and has more minutes than all but three teammates, one of which is goalkeeper Diogo Costa.

Comfortably developing to be too good for Portuguese football, it is in Europe where Varela has caught the attention of top clubs, including a Man of the Match performance during Porto's 1-0 win over Arsenal in the first-leg of their Champions League last-16 tie. A swift move up to the elite level is looking likely and Footmercato names Liverpool as one of three potential suitors.

They are rivalled by Paris Saint-Germain and Borussia Dortmund, with all three said to have registered their interest in Varela. Liverpool fans in particular will be encouraged by a likeness to their former Argentinian midfielder, which has led to him being known as the 'new Javier Mascherano'.

At around 5ft 10, Varela is a diminutively combative defensive midfielder with guile and intelligence above his years. That, coupled with his Argentinian nationality, means comparisons to Mascherano are obvious.

Any move for Varela will not come cheap, however, with Porto unwilling to negotiate a fee lower than their star’s release clause, believed to be worth €70million (around £59.8m). The midfielder is contracted until 2028 and so the Portuguese outfit are in a strong position.

Liverpool are expected to be in the market for reinforcements in defensive midfield, with last summer's signing Wataru Endo the only natural option at this moment. The Japanese international has been excellent since his £15.4m move from Stuttgart in August but has recently turned 31 and is not a long-term option.

Any incomings will likely be put on hold until a new manager is appointed, with Jurgen Klopp set to call time on an incredible nine-year spell at Anfield. Bayer Leverkusen's Xabi Alonso is the front-runner but is also attracting interest from Bayern Munich, while Brighton's Roberto De Zerbi and Ruben Amorim of Sporting CP have also been linked.