Liverpool have joined Premier League rivals Everton in the race to sign midfielder Eric Ramires from Brazilian outfit Red Bull Bragantino, journalist Jorge Nicola says on his official YouTube channel.
It was UOL, earlier this week, who first reported Everton’s interest in the former Brazil U20 international.
Their Champions League-chasing rivals from the other side of Stanley Park have gone further than that, however. According to Nicola, Liverpool are not just interested in Ramires, they have already opened talks with the South American branch of Red Bull’s footballing family.
“Liverpool are interested in signing Eric Ramires, information that was confided to me by a person close to Eric and confirmed by the Red Bull Bragantino staff,” says Nicola, one of the most well-connected reporters in the land.
“There is still no official proposal from Liverpool but there are conversations between the clubs.”
Will Liverpool beat Everton to Red Bull Bragantino ace Eric Ramires?
A positive, versatile central midfielder, Ramires is not the most prolific of footballers but he does have a knack of bursting into the penalty area and wreaking havoc in the final third.
Diminutive at 5ft 8ins but dynamic – similar in size and style to the former Chelsea enforcer of the same name – this would be the 21-year-old’s second stab at European football, having spent a brief spell on loan at Swiss giants FC Basel in 2019/20.
Ramires only played nine league games for Basel but it’s fair to say he made quite an impression. One report hailed his blend of technique and tenacity, going as far as to describe the youngster as a ‘complete midfielder’.
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Nicola beleives that there is a ‘big problem’, however, surrounding Ramires’ economic rights. Bahia still own 25 per cent of their former player and would therefore be due a decent portion of any fee Liverpool are willing to splash out.
It is not certain how much Red Bull Bragantino want for Ramires.
But Liverpool could have a clearer run than expected. Globo Esporte claim that Everton baulked at Ramires’ seemingly lofty price-tag after launching an enquiry recently.
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