Contact made: Club chief says Liverpool have ‘asked’ about South American powerhouse – report

Liverpool are believed to have made contact with a club in Argentina regarding their interest in a South American defender.

La Voz have reported comments from Talleres president Andres Fassi that the Reds have approached them to request information on Kevin Mantilla.

The club chief said of the Merseysiders’ interest in the 20-year-old: “It’s true. They have been following him for four months now and they asked us for information about his physical records.”

The initial rumours of Liverpool’s admiration for the 6 foot 4 Colombian centre-back – who’s also a target for Brighton – surfaced over the festive period, when reported by Ekrem Konur.

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It was only last summer that Mantilla joined Talleres from Santa Fe in his homeland, so the Argentine club mightn’t want to lose the player so soon after acquiring him.

Then again, they captured him for a measly €1.8m (£1.55m), so they could stand to make a massive profit on him if he goes to the English Premier League, where every team has a vast budget by comparison.

The defender stood out for Colombia at the South American Under-20 Championship a year ago and has been capped 23 times at that level, although he’s yet to play for his country’s senior side and has made just 43 appearances in first-team football (Transfermarkt).

Although Liverpool have had numerous players from that continent in recent times, they rarely purchase directly from clubs on the other side of the Atlantic Ocean, so it’d be a standout transaction if they snap up Mantilla from Talleres.

However, with their president publicly confirming the Reds’ interest, it seems there may be substance to this transfer story, so it’s one worth keeping an eye on over the coming weeks and months.

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