Exclusive: Liverpool & Arsenal set sights on signing exciting rising star from Portugal
Arsenal and Liverpool are plotting moves to sign highly-rated Portuguese goalkeeper Ricardo van der Laan, Football Insider can exclusively reveal.
The 17-year-old has emerged as a target for the Premier League big-hitters after a meteoric rise at Belenenses.
A recruitment source has told Football Insider that Liverpool and Arsenal have both set their sights on the shot-stopper this summer.
Ricardo van der Laan, who would also be eligible to play for the Netherlands, is currently Portugal's Under-18 goalkeeper.
He plays for Belenenses, predominantly their Under-23 side whom he made four appearances for last term, but was named on the bench for the first team this year.
The young goalkeeper has just one year left on his contract with the Primeira Liga outfit.
Belenenses narrowly avoided relegation earlier this week as they finished just two points above Portimonense.
Both the Premier League champions and Mikel Arteta's Arsenal are in the market for an exciting goalkeeper to join their youth setups.
Polish goalkeeper Oliwer Zych had been on trial with both but Football Insider revealed earlier this week that Aston Villa had agreed to sign the 16-year-old.
The Reds already boast a host of top goalkeepers in his squad as Lorius Karius returned to Anfield to join Alisson, Adrian and the young Caoimhin Kelleher.
A place in Alex Inglethorpe's academy would almost certainly await van der Laan if he was to make the move to Merseyside given the strength in depth currently at Jurgen Klopp's disposal.
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