Director opens door for Tottenham or Liverpool to sign Lionel Messi-esque talent for just £8m, club 'has to sell'

The life of a ‘selling club’ means that – when Premier League giants like Tottenham Hotspur, Liverpool and Manchester City start circling – offers will be considered.

And, according to reports, one of the rising stars of Spanish football may be available for the sort of sum that Pep Guardiola could find down the back of the sofa.

Guardiola’s Manchester City are ‘closely following’ Raul Moro, it is claimed. As are Liverpool and high-flying Nottingham Forest. Tottenham have been watching the Real Valladolid speedster too, with technical director Johan Lange keen to include Moro on their shopping list heading into 2025, per Give Me Sport.

Raul Moro, Sport say, could be available for as little as £8 million.

So, while the former Spain Under 21 international would be ‘one for the future’ – a project signing with a lot to learn – a rumoured 10 million euro price-tag means Raul Moro feels like a risk worth taking.

Real Valladolid will sell Raul Moro as Tottenham and Liverpool watch winger

Domingo Catoira, Real Valladolid’s sporting director, spoke to Diario de Valladolid this week. And he admits that, with the Pucela one of the more low-budget members of La Liga football, the former Barcelona starlet – nor anyone else in the Vallodolid squad – cannot be considered unsellable.

“The club has a responsibility to maintain financial balance,” Catoira says. “If we bring in players, it is by selling others.

“To meet certain objectives, the club has to sell players. Beyond specific names, if offers are made, the club will analyse what is most positive without losing sporting power.

“All offers will be considered, and a possible sale could strengthen the squad at a sporting level to achieve the objective of staying up.”

Sitting 19th in La Liga with only three wins from 17 games, Real Valladolid face an uphill battle staying in La Liga.

Formerly of Lazio, Raul Moro was likened to Lionel Messi in Barcelona’s La Masia academy, according to the 22-year-old’s agent. Moro certainly shares Messi’s diminutive frame at 5ft 6ins, not to mention his ability to breeze past bemused full-backs, though Valladolid’s number 11 is more comfortable drifting in from the left onto his right foot.

Lionel Messi-esque Raul Moro focused on La Liga future

Moro, in quotes reported by Estadio Deportivo, was quizzed on the speculation regarding a potential cut-price move to English football in the New Year. He is refusing to look too far award, however, focusing only on helping Valladolid drag themselves out of the bottom three.

“I try to isolate myself and I haven’t seen much,” Moro says. “I’m focused on finishing the year here and doing well because, if you don’t do well at your club, those things [like a big transfer] never come. My mentality is to do well here and, then, we’ll see.

“I still have a lot of room for improvement. When you feel wanted in a place and you feel good, when nothing goes wrong around you, the football that a player has [in his locker] ends up coming out. 

“Since I arrived at Valladolid, I have felt on the rise, with more and more confidence and weight and that is good for a player. That is why I think I can continue improving.”

A number of La Liga talents are emerging as Premier League targets with the January window now just a fortnight away. Arsenal and Aston Villa scouted Alex Baena as the Villarreal playmaker shone for Spain against Denmark in the UEFA Nations League.

Osasuna duo Aimor Oroz and Enzo Boyomo are Aston Villa targets too.