Liverpool are considering an approach for young Brazil midfielder Bernard, according to Tutto Mercato Web (TMW). The 20-year-old Atletico Mineiro player has also been linked with Tottenham. TMW believes Ukraine champions Shakhtar Donetsk may also be interested in the youngster, who is valued at €25m.

Bernard
Reuters

The Reds were linked with Armenia midfielder Henrik Mkhitaryan but lost the former Donetsk star to Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund. Brendan Rodgers will be keen to not repeat that mistake, and add Bernard to the raft of new arrivals already at Anfield.

Bernard's impressive performances for Mineiro earned him a call to Luiz Felipe Scolari's Brazil senior squad and he was part of the team that won the 2013 FIFA Confederations Cup, beating world champions Spain in the final.

He is believed to have a versatile style of play and can play either in the hole behind the striker or out wide on the left.

The Merseyside outfit has already added four new players to the first team this summer - Spaniards Iago Aspas and Luis Alberto, Ivory Coast international Kolo Toure and Belgian goalkeeper Simon Mignolet.

Nevertheless, as with Mkhitaryan, Liverpool will face competition for Bernard's signature. The Brazilian club's president, Alexandre Kalil, has confirmed five clubs are interested in his star.

"We have had five offers for Bernard, that is true. I have already said that I don't want to talk about transfers, but it is true that there are five clubs in for him as has been reported," Kalil told the Metro.

Spurs may not be among those, having already signed one Brazilian midfielder in Paulinho; the former Corinthians star moved to north London last week for a reported £17m. Bernard's agent, Juan Reol, has been quoted as saying: "Dortmund have expressed an interest. Tottenham as well, but since they have signed Paulinho they have gone cold".

Reol did also say Portuguese champions FC Porto were also interested.

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