Lucas Beraldo to Liverpool? Sao Paulo's 'Joker' is a seriously impressive ball-playing centre-back

The Reds are searching for a left-sided central defender, and the 19-year-old Brazilian will be made available for the right price

The first thing you notice about Lucas Beraldo is not the composure in possession. Or even the impressive range of passing for a centre-back. No, it’s the smile, the broad, borderline maniacal grin he sports as he lines up before every Sao Paulo game; the one that’s earned him the nickname ‘The Joker’.

It’s certainly a little strange. But there is a method to the apparent madness. “For all those who call me crazy when I laugh and smile during the national anthem, it’s a mental technique that I’ve been doing to get into games feeling calmer, to avoid feeling anxious,” Beraldo explained in May. “And it’s been working.”

No arguments, there. Beraldo’s work with high-performance coach Beto Ferraz has paid off big time, with the 19-year-old now being linked with the likes of Liverpool after a breakout season at Sao Paulo