Talisca to Liverpool is back.
During the summer, Talisca was the subject of a very odd transfer saga, and Liverpool were a part of it.
Bizarrely, Wolves were also dragged into the situation. The Championship club, now managed by Paul Lambert, had been recruiting from Portugal via Jorge Mendes.
Some of that recruitment worked excellently for Wolves, with Helder Costa proving a brilliant signing. Mendes also helped Silvio and Ivan Cavaleiro move to Wolves, and it’ll be interesting if next summer follows a similar pattern.
Talisca didn’t end up at either Wolves or Liverpool. Portuguese newspaper O Jogo had claimed Jurgen Klopp’s men were close to a deal for the player and were working on an ‘exceptional circumstances’ work permit.
The Brazilian has never played for his country’s senior team, but since the work permit rules changed, the fee payable would have had a big impact on a visa, and O Jogo said that was going to be €25m.
Coupled with big wages and playing for a top European team like Benfica, Talisca in reality would have almost certainly got a work permit, as he would now.
Moving to Besiktas on a complicated 2 year loan last summer, the Turkish club have an option to sign him for €25m (that figure again) before the end of the 2017/18 season, report Turkey’s Milliyet.
That’s seen as too high despite the attacking midfielder impressing this season, and Milliyet claim that Liverpool have been watching the 23 year old Brazilian. Those claims have been picked up by O Jogo, who on Tuesday point out that Liverpool have already held talks on a potential deal.
It must be assumed that relates to last summer, but if Klopp’s interest is real and has returned then a deal can probably be done for €25m. Benfica will almost certainly have protected themselves will some kind of clause in the Besiktas loan which allows an early sale.
If Wolves had any chance of promotion to the Premier League then they’d likely be linked again, due to the Mendes connections, but Paul Lambert’s men are currently 20th in the Championship.
