Insider explains why Liverpool must ‘wait’ to sign ‘one of the best young players’ in the world
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Liverpool will have to be patient to sign a coveted teenager who’s been described as ‘one of the best young players in world football’.The Reds were recently namechecked in reports citing interest from some of Europe’s biggest clubs in Gilberto Mora, the 17-year-old who caught the eye for co-hosts Mexico at this summer’s World Cup.DOWNLOAD THE OFFICIAL EMPIRE OF THE KOP APP FOR ALL THE LATEST & BREAKING UPDATES – STRAIGHT TO YOUR PHONE! ON APPLE & GOOGLE PLAYSources from his homeland later claimed that Andoni Iraola’s side are ready to pay the fee required to sign him from his current club Tijuana, where his release clause is purported to be somewhere in the region of £20m.Liverpool ‘would have to wait’ to bring Mora to AnfieldSpeaking on the Transfer Insider podcast for Football Insider, Pete O’Rourke explained that, because of FIFA regulations prohibiting the international transfer of players until they turn 18, suitors for Mora will have to wait another few months until they’re able to sign him.He outlined: “It won’t just be Liverpool who are interested in Mora.
You’ve probably got all of Europe’s big guns who would be interested in the Mexican prodigy. He’s still only 17 so he would have to wait until he’s 18 before making that move across to Europe.
It’s going to be an open race for Mora, and because he’s so highly rated and one of the best young players in world football right now, you’ll have all the biggest clubs in the world trying to sign him.” Want more Empire of the Kop coverage? Although Mora isn’t authorised to transfer outside of Mexico until after his 18th birthday in October, Liverpool would still be able to agree a deal to sign him this summer before he officially makes the move after he enters adulthood.For example, Chelsea signed Ecuadorian defender Kendry Paez in June 2023 when he was only 16, but he didn’t formally join the Stamford Bridge club until last year.Anfield chiefs might therefore be eager to push through a potential swoop for the Tijuana starlet in the coming weeks – even if he wouldn’t be able to complete a proposed move to Merseyside until January – particularly if many other European giants are lining up to try and bring him across the Atlantic.While Mora impressed for Mexico at the World Cup, he’d likely face still competition for a place in Liverpool’s starting XI and would probably be regarded as a squad player initially, or could potentially be earmarked for a loan to a club on the continent where he’d enjoy more regular game-time.The 17-year-old will remain at Tijuana for another few months – his new contract is most likely a measure by his club to yield a larger transfer fee once he inevitably departs – but his next move will be watched with vast interest from Europe, and from Merseyside.