Arsenal and Liverpool in transfer fight for Van der Laan with 17-year-old out of contract at Belenenses next year
ARSENAL and Liverpool are reportedly chasing teenage goalkeeper Ricardo van der Laan. The 17-year-old has drawn admiring glances from around Europe with his displays for Belenenses’ academy sides this season. Having come onto the radar with his youth-team performances, Van der Laan earned the step up to the Liga NOS side’s Under-23 team. And having […]
ARSENAL and Liverpool are reportedly chasing teenage goalkeeper Ricardo van der Laan.
The 17-year-old has drawn admiring glances from around Europe with his displays for Belenenses’ academy sides this season.
Having come onto the radar with his youth-team performances, Van der Laan earned the step up to the Liga NOS side’s Under-23 team.
And having been selected four times for them, six years above his age group, the stopper is expected to have a bright future… but potentially away from Portugal.
According to O Jogo, the Premier League duo are at the front of a lengthy queue to secure the hot prospect’s signature.
And with just a year remaining on the youngster’s contract, Belenenses are facing a tough ask to keep hold of their talented prodigy.
They narrowly avoided relegation in the 2019-20 season, coming 15th in Liga NOS, and are unlikely to be anything but strugglers again next time out.
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Belenenses snapped up Van der Laan after he was let go by Benfica, and the goalkeeper has gone on to earn caps for Portugal’s Under-18s.
He could be set for an international tug-of-war in future, however, as he is also eligible to represent the Netherlands.
Should he make the move to England, he would likely go straight into either side’s U18s squad.