Benfica Put Extremely High Evaluation on Young Liverpool and Juventus Target Alex Grimaldo

Benfica have announced that their precocious young talent, Álex Grimaldo, will not be sold for anything less than €40m, according to Calcio Mercato.

The news comes amidst a flurry of interest for the 22-year-old, namely from European powerhouses Juventus and Liverpool. The Spaniard has imposed himself impressively with the Eagles since signing from Barcelona B for a measly €1.5m in January 2016.

After reaching a new level this season, particularly excelling in Benfica's double header with Manchester United in the Champions League group stages - leading to widespread acclaim from the footballing world, the Portuguese club have felt the need to publicly disclose what it would take to pry the left-back away from Lisbon. 

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With his current contract expiring in June 2021, combined with an increasingly outrageous market, the Portuguese giants have been able to bestow an inflated price on his young shoulders in a bid to deter his suitors.

Whether this will daunt these two sides is another question altogether, as both have shown a willingness to pay over the odds, should they deem it necessary. 

Left back is a position Liverpool have historically struggled with extensively, and have consistently been forced to call on utility players, such as Steve Nicol famously in the 80's and James Milner last season, to fill in for their lack of talent in the department. 

If Jurgen Klopp is still experimenting with different personnel in the position come January, then even such a high evaluation as this may not dissuade the German from securing a deal for Grimaldo, should he regard him as the man to put to bed the left-back hoodoo at Anfield.