Liverpool may have to wait a little longer to get another proper look at Vinicius Lira, but there’s finally some good news coming out of Brazil.
The 18-year-old Santos left-back is getting closer to returning from a serious knee injury, having spent most of 2026 on the sidelines.
Back in March, Sport Witness exclusively revealed that Liverpool were closely monitoring Lira. Our sources confirmed they’d been watching him for months, with the youngster making quite an impression.
Then came the injury. Lira suffered a complete rupture of the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee, putting his progress on hold just as a first-team opportunity was opening up.
If Liverpool still have him on their list, they’ll certainly welcome the latest developments.
But there’s a catch… The Brazilian season is almost over.
Santos hoping to have Lira back this month
Brazilian outlet Bolavip Brazil reports that Lira has made significant progress in his recovery over recent weeks.
He’s already doing physical work on the pitch, although he’s yet to resume training with the ball. Santos hope to have him working with the rest of the squad by the end of November.
That’s encouraging, especially considering the seriousness of his injury. Getting back into full training would be a major step, even if playing competitive football is another matter.
And Santos could certainly use another left-back. Gonzalo Escobar has been dealing with a thigh problem, while attacker Álvaro Barreal, who had been filling in there, is now ruled out until 2027.
It’s a frustrating situation for Lira, too. Tottenham’s signing of Souza last year was supposed to give him a clearer route into the senior side.
There was plenty of excitement about that prospect. People close to Santos have even suggested Spurs bought “the wrong left-back”, believing Lira could turn out to be the better player. Instead, he’s spent most of the year recovering.
Liverpool may have to be patient
Santos have just four league matches left before the Brazilian season ends in December. Even if everything goes according to plan, Lira won’t have much time to get back on the pitch. And after an ACL injury, there’s hardly any reason for Santos to rush him.
That could make January a tricky window for any interested club. Liverpool would potentially be making a decision on a teenager who has barely played senior football and hasn’t featured competitively for months.
Lira had made five first-team appearances before his injury, three of them as a starter. He’s highly rated for his pace, physical strength and attacking ability, but there’s still plenty to learn about how he’ll handle regular senior football.
For Liverpool, the long-term interest makes sense, as Kostas Tsimikas and Milos Kerkez have been quite inconsistent, leaving them without a truly reliable first choice.
Still, the good news is that Lira’s recovery is moving in the right direction. The less convenient part is that the calendar isn’t doing him any favours.
