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Ahead of Real Madrid’s clash against Celta Vigo, Spanish newspaper AS has a report on Renato Tapia, in which they have labelled him as a ‘Casemiro’s Peruvian clone’.

After comparing the 25-year-old with the Brazil international, the outlet explains Tapia had an opportunities to join Tottenham Hotspur and Liverpool earlier in his career.

Eredivisie side FC Twente first brought the Peru international to Europe in 2013 and initially included him in their academy for two years.

Before joining Twente, the defensive midfielder had trials with Spurs and the Merseyside club.

It’s claimed the Reds ‘rejected’ the La Liga midfielder back then because a medical examination indicated Tapia wouldn’t grow beyond 1.8m. In other words, the door to England was closed due to a ‘matter of centimetres’. 

According to the Vigo based club’s official website, the South American’s height is now 185cm.

Liverpool were wrong with their own assessment regarding Tapia’s growth, according to the claims, and he’s now shining in La Liga, delivering impressive performances regularly since arriving at Celta from Feyenoord last summer.

Tapia has started 25 of Celta’s 27 league matches this season.