There is a release clause in the contract of Sporting Lisbon winger Gelson Martins that should catch the eye of Premier League giants Liverpool.
If Liverpool want Gelson Martins to choose Anfield over countless other European giants, they will probably have to move pretty quickly.
Because the front page of Portuguese paper Record (22 February) points out that the Sporting Lisbon winger has a release clause of around £50 million, but this can only be triggered up until the World Cup.
Sporting are obviously predicting a big summer for Martins and are concerned that impressive performances in Russia will massively increase his value. Removing the release clause before the 14 June, then, would allow them to demand far more if the spindly winger explodes on to the scene for European champions Portugal at the festival of football.
The report adds that Liverpool are among the sides keen on Martins, alongside Barcelona and Bayern Munich. And while the 22-year-old is a raw talent, he has emerged through the same academy that produced Ballon D’Or winning wingers Luis Figo and Cristiano Ronaldo so you can see why he is tipped for big things.
Martins, a regular in the Primeira Liga and Champions League in recent seasons, has ten goals and ten assists in all competitions this season.
And Liverpool have a rather substantial chunk of money left over from the sale of Philippe Coutinho to Barcelona in January.
But whether they need to spend it on Martins, with Jurgen Klopp already able to call upon Sadio Mane, Mo Salah, Roberto Firmino and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain out wide, is another matter.
Receive exclusive football transfer news and updates twice a week to your mailbox
