Jamie Carragher has claimed that Liverpool transfer target Federico Valverde is now ‘one of the top players in Europe’ after his latest performance for Real Madrid.
On Wednesday night, Real Madrid thrashed Scottish Premiership champions Celtic 5-1 in the Champions League, with Valverde scoring the pick of the goals when his first-time effort hit the back of the net from outside of the box.
The 23-year-old, who is international teammates with Uruguayan star Darwin Nunez, has transformed into a remarkable player with all the tricks in the world under Carlo Ancelotti.
Play him out wide and he will draw player after player onto him, but ensure he has you on your backside and looking up whilst he’s hitting the back of the net – Liverpool fans won’t want to be reminded about it, but it was his well-timed cross that Vinicius Jr scored in the Champions League final last season.
If he is pushed into the middle of the park, then he can move the ball at such speeds like he has a Playstation controller in his hand, someone should check if he doesn’t have Dutch family members because he is playing total football, right now.
That was touched upon by Carragher, who also spoke about how Carlo Ancelotti is now picking him week in and week out, without hesitation, as he told CBS Sports on Paramount+ (02/11/22 at 7:20 pm).
“Valverde, there are bigger names if you like on paper at Real Madrid,” said Carragher. “But this is a young guy now who is becoming one of the top players in Europe.
“He plays every single week for Carlo Ancelotti. We saw his quality, certainly last year in that Champions League final, and it was a fantastic finish (for his goal against Celtic).”
VALVERDE WOULD HAVE BEEN PERFECT FOR LIVERPOOL
Even for a club the size of Liverpool, it would have been very hard to lure Valverde out of Real Madrid.
Usually, it’s the other way around and rising stars are joining either Real Madrid or Barcelona, even if the latter has started to decline at a rapid rate, both on and off the field.
But that shouldn’t hide the fact that someone like Valverde would have been perfect for Jurgen Klopp and he would have cooked on Merseyside.
Put him anywhere on the pitch and he is capable of running the game, but whilst the Reds search for those all-important players to lift them up again, Real Madrid will be pushing to win yet another European Cup this term…another European final meeting, perhaps?
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