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It seems as though every country has their own prospective Lionel Messi, some youngster burdened with the expectation of rising to become one of the greats. Diminutive, tricky attackers, typically with an eye for goal from Switzerland to Egypt to Japan get the label, usually while being linked to some major European side or other as the transfer window approaches.
This time around, though, Liverpool aren't in for the next Messi from Bosnia or Venezuela or Malta. They're in for the next Steven Gerrard. At least if the rumour mongers linking them to 19-year-old Dutch midfielder Daley Sinkgraven are to be believed. And the player's teammates at least are inclined to believe he isn't long for Eredivisie club Heerenveen.
"He's so nimble he almost dances on the field," said teammate Marten de Roon, sounding more like he was describing another next Messi than a nascent next Gerrard. "He can do anything with his left foot. He's a player people come to the stadium to see, and while I hope he stays in January, in the summer at the latest he will surely move to a big club."
In the past he has been linked to clubs as far flung as Ajax, Manchester United, and Barcelona. And while he isn't quite the finished product yet, after working his way onto the fringes of the first team last season, this year he has started 13 times for Heerenveen, tallying three goals and two assists. He would likely cost somewhere in the £5-7M range.
As yet there is nothing especially reliable linking the player to Liverpool beyond the fact that as the next Steven Gerrard he would seemingly have to be linked to Liverpool, but his age and talent at least do line up with Liverpool's transfer policy under FSG.
