Liverpool haven't waited for the dust to settle on the 2026 World Cup. According to TEAMtalk, the club has already made first contact with the camp of Xolos de Tijuana midfielder Gilberto Mora — the breakout Mexican talent who announced himself to global football this summer.
No formal bid. No official negotiations. But the intent is clear: Liverpool want to be first in the queue, not scrambling at the back of it.
The agent complicating everyone's plans
Here's what makes this more than a standard European fishing expedition. Mora is represented in part by Rafaela Pimenta — the agent who inherited Mino Raiola's entire client portfolio and now steers the careers of Erling Haaland, Gianluigi Donnarumma, and Matthijs de Ligt, among others. Pimenta doesn't do small deals or rushed decisions. She orchestrates transfers. Any club serious about Mora needs to understand they're not dealing with a typical youth player situation.
That changes the calculus significantly. Liverpool's early contact is smart — get in the room before Pimenta starts playing clubs off against each other, which is precisely what she's built her reputation on.
TEAMtalk also reports Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Manchester City are tracking Mora. Manchester United have reportedly cooled off, deterred by the projected transfer fee. That alone tells you something about where this price tag is heading.
The timeline no club can fast-track
Tijuana recently extended Mora's contract, and crucially, the new deal contains clauses designed to facilitate a European move when the time comes. The catch: Mora is still a minor. FIFA regulations prohibit international transfers for players under 18, which means all this early positioning is just that — positioning. The actual move is still years away.
Inside Xolos, there's no illusion about what's coming. The club knows it's managing the final chapters of a story that finishes in Europe. The question isn't whether Mora leaves Liga MX — it's which giant gets there first with the right offer when FIFA rules finally allow it.
For anyone pricing Liverpool's long-term squad depth, that midfield pipeline just got an interesting new name attached to it — even if it won't arrive anytime soon.
