Benitez brings in a Spanish star in the making.

The Rumour

Benitez’s spies have been to see the Cadiz youngster, an attacking midfielder in the Cesc Fabregas mould, and he hopes his Spanish connections will help him win the race.

Suso has been offered a deal at Barca but his advisors think he could get lost in their ‘system’ while Benitez has big plans to bring in top young talent at Anfield after a recent reshuffle.

The Source: (Daily Mirror)

The Analysis

If this news is correct then Liverpool have stole a march on the Nou Camp side and found themselves a bargain. Due to restrictions in Spain Jesus Fernandez couldn’t sign a formal contract at any Spanish club until he reaches the age of 17 which of course gives Premier League clubs the chance of pouncing on impressive young talent and picking them up for a nominal fee at best. This is of course how Arsene Wenger nabbed Cesc Fabregas from Barcelona a few years back and whilst comparisons to top notch players often fail to assist a player it is indeed good news for Rafa that he appears to have picked up another good young prospect for his impressive Academy team.

The club has used their reserve set up wisely and helped bring through some top talents under their previous boss Gary Ablett, this job now falls to John McMahon, brother of former Anfield hero Steve, and it is from this developing group of players that Benitez can really build for the future.

Jesus Fernandez will of course have plenty of fellow Spaniards to help him through the early stages of his career and his countrymen will assist him settling in at the club.

The Likelihood

Fernandez to Liverpool: Done deal apparently!

The Rumour

Liverpool boss Rafa Benitez is ready to beat Barcelona to the signing of Spanish teenage sensation Jesus Fernandez – nicknamed Suso.

Benitez’s spies have been to see the Cadiz youngster, an attacking midfielder in the Cesc Fabregas mould, and he hopes his Spanish connections will help him win the race.

Suso has been offered a deal at Barca but his advisors think he could get lost in their ‘system’ while Benitez has big plans to bring in top young talent at Anfield after a recent reshuffle.

Suso is expected to come to Liverpool for talks, possibly as early as next week, with Cadiz resigned to losing their best prospect in years.

The Source: (Daily Mirror)

The Analysis

Rafa has in the past two years or so put an added emphasis on the clubs youth policy. This has led to an improvement in the club’s academy output and has signaled a marked increase in the number foreign youngsters being brought into the club to complete their footballing education.

Suso is a wanted man and his Cadiz side, playing in the third tier of Spanish football, are clearly resigned to losing the talented teenager and the youngster may be very wise to opt against a move to Barcelona where the likes of Giovani find it next to impossible to make it through to the first team and end up leaving sooner or later.

Whether Jesus Fernandez is the next Fabregas is obviously very hard to say and such comparisons can become something of an Albatross around a player’s shoulders but he will surely find it hard to resist a move to Anfield to play alongside his Spanish International heroes.

The Likelihood

Suso to Liverpool: The buzz on the web suggests this is almost a certainty.

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