Leeds United are interested in a deal to bring Raphael Guerreiro to Elland Road.
What's the talk?
That's according to a report by Fussball Transfers (via Sport Witness), who claim that Victor Orta has shown a recent interest in the Borussia Dortmund left-back ahead of launching a potential move for the 28-year-old in either the January transfer window or next summer, when it seems as if the defender will be available to sign on a free transfer.
Indeed, a further report by the same publication claimed that the Whites have 'recently put out feelers' for the Portugal international. It is also suggested that Guerreiro himself has ruled out the possibility of signing a new deal with the Bundesliga club - something which will come as a huge boost to Orta considering the player's £22m asking price last summer.
Would be an unreal signing
While Guerreiro's form for Dortmund in recent years is undoubtedly more than enough to convince Orta to launch a move for the 28-year-old in January, considering just how impressive the full-back has been in Qatar so far this winter, it is undeniable that the Portugal sensation's signing would be an unreal deal for the Spaniard to pull off next month.
Indeed, over his three outings at the World Cup so far, the £17.5m-rated talent has played a key role in helping his country reach the quarter-finals of the competition. He has scored one goal, registered two assists and created one big chance for his team, in addition to taking 0.7 shots, making 1.7 key passes and completing 0.7 dribbles (at a success rate of 100%) per game.
The £58k-per-week defender has also impressed in metrics more typical of his position, making one interception and one tackle and winning 2.7 duels (62% success rate) per match. He has also found a team-mate with an average of one long ball, played 2.7 chipped passes and completed 37.7 passes (90% success rate) per fixture.
These returns have seen the "unreal" 28-year-old average a simply sensational Sofascore match rating of 7.37, not only ranking him as Fernando Santos' fourth-best performer in the tournament but also as the joint 33rd-best player in the 2022 World Cup as a whole.
As such, considering the world-class talent that Guerreiro has showcased in Qatar, the argument that the left-back would be an unreal signing for Orta to get over the line in January is indeed an extremely easy one to make. The Dortmund defender is evidently not just one of the best players in his position, but he currently ranks as one of the best in world football.