Liverpool emerge as main candidates to buy Spanish midfielder dubbed 'Pedri's clone': Reports

Liverpool are reportedly keen to rope in Las Palmas wonderkid Alberto Moleiro, who has been dubbed a clone of Barcelona midfielder Pedri.

Moleiro, 19, has emerged as one of the hottest prospects in Spain due to his fine outings at club level over the past one season. He has been a crucial part of his team's promotion hopes this season, helping them currently sit in third spot in the 2022-23 Segunda Division standings.

A right-footed creative midfielder blessed with passing and vision, the two-cap Spain U21 international has turned heads across Europe since the turn of the year. Due to his mature performances and his style of play, he has attracted interest from a number of heavyweight clubs.

According to El Nacional, Liverpool have emerged as one of the main candidates to sign Moleiro. Although the Anfield outfit are yet to table an official bid for the Las Palmas teenager, their interest is genuine.

Moleiro, who has a deal until June 2026 at the Estadio Gran Canaria, is valued at an affordable £22 million ahead of the upcoming 2023-24 campaign. However, with Barcelona and Aston Villa also keen to add the Spaniard to their ranks, the transfer valuation is expected to rise.

Barcelona president Joan Laporta is interested in signing Moleiro in the upcoming summer transfer window, in a repeat of the Pedri operation in 2020. The Blaugrana are hoping to bank on their prior association with the Canaries to help facilitate a hassle-free potential deal in the future.

Moleiro, who has been with Las Palmas since 2018, has scored three goals and laid out nine assists in 70 matches for his current club so far.

Liverpool unlikely to sign top target: Reports

According to The Athletic journalist David Ornstein, Liverpool are likely to lose out on signing Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham amidst competition from Real Madrid and Manchester City.

Explaining the reasoning, Ornstein wrote in his column for The Athletic:

"Considering Liverpool will finish this season empty-handed in terms of trophies, sit seven points outside the Champions League spots after 26 games, have expiring contracts and are ageing in parts of the squad, some major calls are approaching, and recruitment work is taking place on multiple fronts. Such factors will impact the budget and, in turn, their ultimate hopes of landing Bellingham."

Bellingham, 19, is in fine form in the ongoing 2022-23 season, scoring 10 goals and contributing six assists in 34 games for Dortmund so far.