Chelsea are facing competition from Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool for the signing of Porto youngster Ruben Neves.
The 18-year-old impressed Blues boss Jose Mourinho by helping his former side inflict a 2-1 defeat on the Premier League champions in the Champions League last month.
Mourinho is keen to take the Portugal U21 international and was thought to be putting together a £20million offer for the player as we approach the January transfer window.
However, Klopp’s arrival on Merseyside appears to have thrown a spanner in the works with the German sending scouts to watch Neves in action for his country against Hungary on Friday.
Liverpool development coach Pep Lijnders was previously on the staff at Porto and rates Neves as an outstanding talent, personally recommending them to the club’s new manager.
In pictures: Ruben Neves' Porto beat Chelsea in the Champions League...
Neves became Portugal’s youngest ever player to feature in an U21s European Championships last summer as he helped them reach the final.
Klopp used his first press conference to outline his intentions of giving the current Reds squad a chance before looking at new purchases.
“It’s not important who is the best player today, but the best player tomorrow, because we know who the best players today are, but not tomorrow,” he said.
“When I’m managing a club, each young player should smile because the chance is bigger than it ever was. The door is pretty wide open. Experience is an important point, but not the most.”
Klopp’s patient approach at Anfield means path could be clear for Mourinho to move for the Porto prospect this winter.
