Richard Hughes wants deal for Belgian wonderkid 'BUILT' for Premier League

Liverpool have sent their scouts back out this season, to keep tabs on a number of potential targets, reporting back to the executives in the recruitment department to make a decision.

It's this network of officials that helps the Reds to compete with rival clubs when it comes to signing young players that are highly regarded for their talent and potential. Giovanni Leoni is a nice example.

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Even though the season is just three games old or less for most of the big European leagues, a player has already caught Richard Hughes' eye and a lot of clubs are interested in signing him.

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His name is Jorthy Mokio, a 17-year-old at Ajax and by all accounts, there's a lot to like about him.

Hybrid defender on Liverpool's radar

According to TeamTalk, there are several clubs keeping tabs on him, including Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham and Liverpool, alongside the leading Spanish teams.

Mokio is a defensive midfielder by trade, with experience at centre-back as well as occasionally featuring at left-back. His multi-faceted abilities make him the ideal squad player for a big club.

Ajax have given the Belgian a limited number of minutes so far at the senior level, but he's expected to play and important role in the upcoming season, under former-Liverpool coach Johnny Heitinga.

The report considers his strengths to be in progressive passing, duel-winning tenacity and seamless transitions, with his game having been described as a hybrid of Declan Rice and N'Golo Kante, making him a 'phenomenal prospect' that everyone is interested in snapping up.

His contract is currently set to expire in 2027, meaning next summer is going to be a frenzy for him, if he hasn't signed an extension to his deal with Ajax by that time. It's difficult to know how much he would be worth, but it costs a lot to sign potential if the data suggests the player will be successful.

In addition to his ability to play different roles, which Liverpool will be particularly keen about, since he could cover Ryan Gravenberch and Virgil Van Dijk at different times if he's destined for the top, it's the player's robustness that seems to be his best asset, making him 'built for the Premier League'.

Of course, we'll have to keep an eye on how his campaign goes before we're likely to get any updates on his potential transfer, but the Reds are well aware of the different market opportunities.

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