Liverpool 'interested' in £33m 'next Sergio Ramos' starring at Euro 2024 & Richard Hughes has already scouted

Liverpool are reportedly interested in a move for Riccardo Calafiori who has been dubbed the ‘next Sergio Ramos’.

The Italian defender shone for Bologna last season and started in Italy’s opening game at Euro 2024 where many football fans witnessed him for the first time. Sporting a headband, long hair and an air of grace on the ball, he quickly drew comparison to players of old from Italy and he is currently being targeted by multiple clubs across Europe.

Tottenham, Newcastle, Brighton and West Ham have all been mentioned as Premier League suitors - according to the Athletic - but the threat of both Juventus and Real Madrid are perhaps the biggest concerns for Liverpool. Fees of £33m (€40m) have been mentioned and he fits the bill for the Reds who have been targeting a centre-back of his stature and profile for some time. Richard Hughes has reportedly previously scouted the player and wanted to sign him at Bournemouth.

The biggest compliment that has been paid to him has come from ex-England manager and Italian legend Fabio Capello. He drew on his past experiences and compared the defender to Ramos, who he coached at Real Madrid in 2006. “If I have to compare the Bologna defender to a player from the past, the first thought goes to a young Sergio Ramos,” Capello wrote in La Gazzetta dello Sport. 

“In 2006/07, in my second stint on the Real Madrid bench, I coached the Spaniard, who had arrived the previous season from Sevilla. Calafiori, just like Ramos, transformed from a full-back into a centre-back. And I can assure you that Sergio Ramos, as nasty as we remember him now, became that way over time.”

High praise indeed - but his figures certainly back it up. Not only can he defend but he is a stylish player on the ball. He ranks between the 88th-99th percentiles for progressive passes received, successful take-ons, interceptions, shot-creating-actions and assists per 90.

Famed journalist James Horncastle described him as ‘Italy’s John Stones’ and he is clearly a player ready to step up to the next level and one who will surely make a move in the near future - but it remains to be seen whether Liverpool can pull ahead of the sizeable chasing pack.