Liverpool "step up interest" in £50m-valued teen sensation wanted by Real Madrid and Barcelona
It has been clear for a very long time now that Liverpool require midfield reinforcements. Back in the summer of 2023, Jordan Henderson, Fabinho, James Milner, Naby Keïta and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain all departed. Thus, Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister, Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endō were all signed for over £145 million to replace them. However, since then, the Reds have amazingly not recruited a single starting-level central midfielder, but is that about to change?
According to a report by Dutchie Bowen of Medium, Liverpool "are stepping up their interest" in Mexican midfielder Gilberto Mora. He claims that the Reds have registered "serious interest" in the teenager, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, Paris Saint-Germain, Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich, Benfica and countless others also eager to secure his signature.
Bowen claims that Club Tijuana value their most-prized asset at around £50 million, which would shatter the record for an outgoing Liga MX transfer, currently held by Maxi Araújo, who joined Sporting CP from Toluca for £15 million two summers ago. So, who is Mora, and why is there so much hype around him?
Well, since making his Liga MX debut against Santos Laguna as a 15 year old, Mora has racked up 62 appearances for los Xolos, scoring 15 times. That is a remarkable number of matches for a player who does not celebrate his 18th birthday for another week, and he is not doing this in some unserious league; Global Football Rankings believes Mexico's top-flight to be the 13th strongest league on the planet. He would surely have moved already, but is not able to do so until he is 18 years old, which is about to be the case.
This has, of course, seen him fast tracked into the national team. Mora starred at the 2025 CONCACAF Gold Cup, starting all three knockout stage games, including the final victory over fierce rivals USA in Houston. This saw hm become the youngest player to ever win a major international trophy, breaking Pelé's long-standing record from 1958.
The teenager was then a key figure for Javier Aguirre's team at the World Cup, el Tri ousted in the round of 16 by England at the Azteca. Just last week, Mora scored his first international goal, bagging this sublime solo strike against Colombia at the M&T Bank Stadium in Baltimore, showcasing his talents.
His is a creative number ten albeit, still very young, is very mouldable and it is not yet clear what his best position and role will be. What is certain is that Mora is clearly one of the most talented young players on the planet so, if Liverpool are able to persuade him to swap Tijuana for Merseyside, this would represent a major coup.
Today's best reads
Yankuba Minteh has opened up on the chances of making a January move to Liverpool
Liverpool permit rare transfer to Manchester United as Isaac Konde deal confirmed
Liverpool handed fresh injury scare as Alexander Isak withdraws from Sweden duty
Monday Liverpool international round up: Barcola, Jacquet, Szoboszlai and Kerkez among those in action
Steven Gerrard’s multi-million Liverpool gesture proves why he’s our greatest captain