Paulinho to Liverpool: Key Details You Need to Know About Reds' Reported Signing

Liverpool have reportedly agreed to sign Portuguese starlet Paulo Alves—known as “Paulinho”—from AD Sanjoanense.

According to James Pearce of the Liverpool Echo, the 17-year-old impressed the club’s academy coaches during a brief trial earlier in the season, and a deal is set to be completed after a “nominal fee” was agreed for the youngster.

Portuguese football expert Jan Hagen claimed on Twitter that the two parties have been in negotiations since December:

AD Sanjoanense—who are in the third tier of Portugal’s football hierarchy—signed Paulinho last summer from the FC Porto academy.

A midfielder by trade, he has made four starts and eight substitute appearances for the club so far and will join up with the club’s Kirkby academy this summer, per Pearce.

Clive Brunskill/Getty Images

It’s claimed that the club are hopeful the teenager will eventually graduate to the Melwood training base sooner rather than later. According to FootballZZ.co.uk, Paulinho—who is right-footed—won five national youth titles during his time at Porto.

Bringing a composed style with a strong technical foundation, Paulinho is exactly the type of player Brendan Rodgers loves to mould.

He won’t be in short supply of Portuguese companions on Merseyside either. Liverpool have high hopes for both Joao Teixeira and Tiago Ilori—both snapped up from Portuguese sides—and it’ll be intriguing to see whether either of those aforementioned youngsters will be first-team ready after spells out on loan this season.

Gualter Fatia/Getty Images

Football writer Paul Grech offered a potential explanation of this burgeoning link between the Reds and the Iberian nation:

While Paulinho’s likely to be a long way off making any impression on Brendan Rodgers’ first XI, Reds supporters will be encouraged by the fact the club has scouts searching in every crevice of European football for the brightest young talent.

Coming from Porto’s setup, it’s clear Paulinho will be technically sound and talented in possession. Liverpool obviously think so too, and it’s a major bonus that the club’s revered academy coaches have had the chance to run the rule over him firsthand. As such, he’s certainly a name worth looking out for in years to come.