Benfica boss Roger Schmidt has dismissed claims that midfielder Enzo Fernandez could be a target for Liverpool.

The Argentinian international only moved to Portugal from River Plate in July for €10m but reports in the UK have suggested that the Reds are tracking the player’s progress. When asked about the midfielder’s future, Schmidt said he is extremely confident that the player will be staying at his current club for the long term:

“No, I’m not afraid [about the stories]. He feels good here [at Benfica], it’s the perfect place to develop. He’s a great player, a great person, he’s focused, professional and knows what he does when he comes here. Everything came together at the right time, I think he will be here for a long time, half a year is not enough.”

Fernandez has a €120m (£103m) release clause in his contract so Schmidt is right to feel secure about keeping the midfielder at the Estadio da Luz.

Liverpool are unlikely to be the only team, though, to be keeping a close eye on the 21-year-old. Before he joined Benfica, the likes of Arsenal, Tottenham, Manchester City, Manchester United and Real Madrid had also been linked with the playmaker so, if he does perform well in Portugal, there will be a lot of competition for his signature in the future.