Aston Villa linked with transfer for teen sensation nicknamed the 'new Modric'
Aston Villa have been credited with an interest with Portuguese wonderkid Rodrigo Mora ahead of the summer transfer window. Villa, along with Arsenal and Manchester United, have reportedly kept an eye on the Porto starlet, who has been nicknamed the 'new Modric' and is making plenty of headlines for his performances in Liga Portugal this season.
The playmaker is only 17 but has broken into the first-team this term having begun the campaign in their B side in Liga Portugal 2; Mora made his senior debut in a Europa League defeat to Bodo/Glimt in September and has since made 20 appearances, contributing to six goals in the league.
The teenage sensation has also taken international football by storm already, too, having put England under 17s to the sword with a brace and an assist in a 4-1 win last May. Mora has since made the step up to the under 21s, despite his age and because of his undoubted talent.
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Mora, who is showing signs of becoming the next star to appear on the illustrious conveyor belt of Portuguese talent, signed a contract last spring with boyhood club Porto, which runs for a couple more years. There is already interest gathering from around the continent, though, with Villa, United, Arsenal and Real Madrid and PSG all linked with moves ahead of the summer window.
His current boss Martin Anselmi recently said: "Rodrigo is a player that excels at playing between the lines, making the final pass and dribbling past players in the final third. He is a bold young man, who doesn't feel the burden of playing at such a high level. He always works hard, too, and accepts the responsibility to defend when we don't have the ball."
Anselmi's predecessor Vitor Bruno added of Mora: "This is all new to him but I sense in him a desire to grow. He does not want to stop here. He understands that the path is long and full of challenges, but he seems to have a good support system, which is crucial for him as he tries to navigate his path. Not everything will be easy for him, but if he keeps an open mind, he will definitely have a great career in football."
Villa have a number of decisions to make in the summer on existing personnel; Emiliano Buendia, on loan at Bayer Leverkusen, has signed a new contract before he departed on loan, but loanees Marcus Rashford and Marco Asensio face uncertain times once the season ends and their respective temporary stays conclude. Mora, though, could be a player to watch.
