Gary Neville has stated that he ‘really likes’ Liverpool transfer target Rafael Leao after his impressive cameo appearance from the bench during Portugal’s 6-1 win over Switzerland at the Qatar World Cup on Tuesday.
The 23-year-old came off the bench to score his second goal of the tournament and Neville was seriously impressed by his goal that he thought it had initially got a deflection.
Cutting onto his right foot from the left flank, as Leao entered the penalty area, with opposition players crowding him, he proceeded to stand still and curl the ball into the far corner.
That was the sought-after AC Milan star showcasing his technical magic and proving why Europe’s elite are after him during the January and summer transfer windows.
Portugal have an array of attacking talent at their disposal, none other than Cristiano Ronaldo sitting on the bench, but Neville thinks Leao is the one that provides them ‘balance’, as he told ITV Sport.
“I really like him,” said Neville. “I like him when he came on in that first game. They became more balanced in those wide areas.
“But he has been used as a sub against Switzerland. It’s a bit strange this one (goal v Swiss) because you thought there had been a deflection. But Sommer’s just wrong-footed.
“He gets it out brilliantly in that far corner.”
LIVERPOOL’S INTEREST IN LEAO
Could Leao be cooking on the Premier League stage soon? Well, if he continues in his current ways, then it’s only a matter of time.
This season, from his 14 Serie A games, he already has six goals and five assists, don’t forget his four assists from six Champions League matches.
But where he really showcased his worth was last season when Milan became champions of Italy again – he bagged 21 goal involvements during that campaign.
He even assisted against Liverpool in the Champions League at Anfield – and now, the likes of Real Madrid and PSG have joined the Reds for the talented winger’s signature.
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