Liverpool are leading the race to sign highly rated Uruguayan wonderkid Nicolas Scotti from Defensor Sporting, according to TEAMtalk.
Scotti has emerged as one of the most exciting Uruguayan prospects who could move to Europe soon amid keen interest from several clubs.
The 16-year-old is a product of Defensor Sporting’s prestigious academy, which has produced veterans such as former Barcelona and Juventus defender and 116-cap Uruguay international Martín Cáceres, 2025 Campeonato Brasileiro Série A Player of the Year and 62-cap international Giorgian De Arrascaeta, and Sebastián Abreu, who famously scored Uruguay’s winning penalty in their shootout victory over Ghana in the 2010 World Cup quarter-final, among many others.
Scotti’s displays, despite being just 16, indicate his enormous potential to become one of the best players for his country.
After impressing in the academy ranks, he was handed his Uruguayan Primera División debut on 9 August in the 1-0 defeat to Montevideo. He has gone on to make four more appearances for Sporting, which has piqued the interest of several clubs across Europe.
It appears Liverpool are looking to steal a march on other interested clubs, as TEAMtalk claims that the Reds are leading the race to sign Scotti.
The Merseyside giants are now closely monitoring his progress, having been touted as the most prominent European club to express interest in the right winger in recent days, according to the report.
Prospect
In a boost to Liverpool, TEAMtalk adds that while Sporting have placed a valuation around £6m on the Uruguayan U18 international, their financial constraints could see them accept a lower fee for their prospect.
While Scotti cannot move to England until he turns 18, Andoni Iraola’s side will need to act swiftly to reach a pre-agreement, as the report reveals that Premier League rivals Arsenal and Manchester United are tracking the Uruguayan while Borussia Dortmund, Sao Paulo and Atletico Mineiro have also expressed interest in signing him.
In recent transfer windows, Liverpool have laid much emphasis on recruiting and developing exciting young prospects for the future alongside experienced players for the first team.
This recruitment strategy has led to the arrival of Rio Ngumoha from Chelsea, while Senegalese star Mor Talla Ndiaye and Ifeanyi Ndukwe, who impressed in preseason, joined the club in January.
Highly rated Colombian prospects Samuel Martinez, Lucca Brughmans, Djylian N’Guessan and Michael Mulholland all joined last summer in an ambitious commitment by the club towards amassing the best talents.
Scotti would be another excellent addition to Liverpool’s ever-growing talent pool, but whether they can ward off competition from Arsenal and United remains to be seen.
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