Liverpool fight Chelsea and Arsenal for £15m Argentina crown jewel playmaker

Liverpool are always on the lookout for the best young talents around - no matter where in the world.

Recent deals for Samuel Martinez from Colombia and Senegal’s Mor Talla Ndiaye demonstrate that no promising player is beyond the reach of the 2024/25 Premier League champions’ extensive scouting network.

Now comes a report from South America which suggests that the Merseyside outfit are among a throng of clubs now in the running to sign one of the jewels of Argentine football.

Introducing Tomas Aranda from Boca Juniors

Tomas Aranda, 19, has burst onto the scene for Boca Juniors this year - earning plaudits and coming onto the radar of several top European clubs.

Liverpool are competing with Chelsea, Arsenal, the City Football Group, Inter Milan, AC Milan and others for the signature of the highly-regarded young playmaker.

That’s according to a report from El Crack Deportivo - which claims Aranda could be sold for a fee of around £15m. Under contract until 2029 Boca are not keen to let go of Aranda just yet and will make any interested parties pay his release clause in full.

Aranda is valued at around $20m (£15m)

“Aranda is one of Boca's most prized assets, and both Juan Román Riquelme and Rodolfo Arruabarrena are keen to keep him,” the report reads.

“However, if a lucrative offer comes in, the attacking midfielder could leave.

“If Chelsea, or any other team, wants his services, they must pay $20 million, the equivalent of his release clause.

“Chelsea is not the only club interested in signing Tomás Aranda; Inter Milan, Arsenal, Liverpool, Bayer Leverkusen, City Group, Parma, Como, Corinthians, and Sao Paulo are also keen on him.”

Tomas Aranda: Situation summary

Tomás Aranda is a 19-year-old Argentine attacking midfielder from Ciudadela, Buenos Aires, who has emerged from Boca Juniors’ academy into the senior side in 2026.

Right-footed and around 1.73m, he can play centrally, from the left or as a left-sided winger. He is a creative, ball-demanding connector: comfortable receiving between lines, carrying past opponents, combining in tight spaces and supplying runners from the half-spaces.

His profile is closer to a roaming No. 10 than a pure wide forward, though improving end product and finishing remains part of his development.

Boca hold a strong contractual position. Aranda’s deal runs until 31 December 2029, following an extension agreed in May 2025, and reports place his release clause at approximately €17m/$20m.

He has already registered 30 first-team appearances, one goal and three assists in 2026. European attention is increasing: Como and Bologna have been credited with interest, while Brighton, Arsenal and Chelsea have also been linked.

A move to a development-focused European club looks likelier than an immediate elite-club transfer; Boca’s preference is to retain him unless the clause is met.