During international breaks when players are away from club duties, teams will usually send their scouts out to watch them in action, along with potential transfer targets to build up their reports on them.
Liverpool are no different and it has emerged that one Reds scout was dispatched this week to watch Uruguay take on Austria in an international friendly.
They weren’t alone on their scouting mission as representatives from the likes of Arsenal, West Ham, Borussia Dortmund, Napoli and Inter Milan were all present for Austria’s 2-1 win over the South Americans.
But who were the Reds taking a look at? While there’s no confirmed target, one can safely assume, given their eagerness to improve their defence, that Liverpool had their eyes on Atletico Madrid centre-back Jose Maria Gimenez.
The Uruguay international is considered one of the best young centre-backs in European football right now and could be on the market soon.
Under contract until the end of the season, Atletico risk losing the 22-year-old on a free transfer next summer and Liverpool, as well as Arsenal, have been linked with a move for the centre-back recently.
