Rumor Mongering: Liverpool Eyeing Sporting Lisbon Midfielder Bruno Fernandes

Reports out of Portugal indicate the 24 year old could be available for a cut-rate fee this summer.

If reports out of Portugal are to be believed (always an iffy prospect where football transfer rumors are concerned), Merseyside’s first and third best teams are in for midfielder Bruno Fernandes, currently captaining Sporting Lisbon.

The reports, courtesy of Portuguese publication Correio de Manha, indicates that both Liverpool and Everton showed interest in Fernandes over the January transfer window.

Although the Portuguese international has a £90 million release clause, the report claimed that Sporting might be willing to cut a deal with any potential suitor due to their current financial struggles.

Fernandes has scored 18 goals and added 8 assists in 33 appearances across all competitions for Sporting Lisbon this campaign, playing primarily in the middle of the park as a central midfielder or a little further forward as the central attacking midfielder in a 4-2-3-1.

We know Michael Edwards loves a deal, but there are reasons to be skeptical of this rumor. First of all, midfield will probably not be the biggest area of concern this summer, especially if Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain comes back anywhere near as good as the player we lost in the tail end of last campaign. That said, we are in need of goals from the middle of the park (though there’s no guarantee Fernandes would be able to translate his game from the Primeira Liga to the Premier League).

There’s also the issue of being linked to a player Everton are reportedly interested in. It seems likely that “Liverpool” were tacked onto the rumor because “Everton” just doesn’t quite get the clicks, does it?

Anyway, we’ve not really had much indication from the club or club-connected journalists about Liverpool’s summer transfer plans, so I guess it’s possible.

Source: liverpooloffside.sbnation.com