River Plate’s president has confirmed Liverpool’s interest in Gabriel Mercado. In an interview with Fox Sports, Rodolfo D’Onofrio said the right-back pleases Jurgen Klopp, but the transfer may have a few obstacles before it could happen.
D’Onofrio says the 29-year-old could only make a move to England in case Argentina win the Copa America. As the player doesn’t have an European passport, the president believes this could be the only way he could get a work permit.
“Klopp likes him. But for Mercado to go to England, Argentina need to be champions. Winning a title with the national team would allow him to play in England,” he told Fox Sports (via Infobae).
“If he had the passport it would be different, but being champion he will have the possibility.”
Infobae’s article gives a few details about the work permit rules, saying the players must play at least 75% of his national team’s games during the two years before the transfer.
But they remember that this was not Willian’s case before moving to Chelsea, as he convinced the FA with his good caps for Brazil, and Mercado could do the same by winning the Copa America with Argentina.
Work permit rules have changes since Willian’s transfer and now also take into account transfer fee paid.
