Liverpool and Everton eyeing 18-year-old wonderkid from English club – report
By Harvey Byrne
Merseyside rivals Liverpool and Everton are eyeing Sunderland wonderkid Joel Asoro, according to a report.
Local news outlet the Sunderland Echo has claimed that the close rivals are looking at the 18-year-old forward alongside Southampton, but London giants Arsenal are currently believed to be the club in pole position to land him.
It is detailed that the Gunners are even willing to make a bid of as much as £5million for Asoro and teammate Benjamin Mbunga-Kimpioka.
Asoro has only been in England since 2015 after the Sweden Under-21 international left his home country for the Black Cats.
He has already made his Premier League debut, playing nine minutes of a 2-1 defeat against Middlesbrough in the last campaign, which saw him become Sunderland’s youngest ever Premier League player.
Meanwhile, he also received the title of becoming the youngest Swede to ever appear in England’s top-flight.
Liverpool are however under a transfer ban on signing academy players from other English clubs, meaning they may miss out on Asoro for that reason.
However, Everton have been hailed for giving youth a chance under Ronald Koeman and Asoro could view the Toffees as a club which would give him more chance of first team football than what Arsenal can offer.
Football Insider verdict:
It is very rare that a player of Asoro’s potential become’s available and he is only doing so because of Sunderland’s relegation. Now, if Arsenal are going to go in with a bid for him then Everton should do the same. The Toffees are currently setting themselves up very well for the future and in Asoro they will have another bright prospect in their squad. Therefore, the Toffees should certainly consider rivalling the Gunners for his signature this summer while Liverpool are still under their transfer ban and won’t be able to act.
In other Liverpool transfer news, this 24-year-old Reds player is being eyed by an English club.
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