LIVERPOOL have joined the race to sign the Inter Milan defender Maicon as his agent Antonio Caliendo speaks up on potential candidates for his client.

This list of potential clubs keen on Maicon has thus increased with Liverpool joining the fray. Earlier big spenders Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City were in the race to sign the Brazil international, according to Caliendo.

Maicon, a Brazil international, is still away on holiday but his agent is busy working on the player’s future.

“I heard from Maicon today (yesterday) and we have to see what happens in the next few days with Real,” said Caliendo.

“Liverpool are also interested in the player, as are Chelsea and Manchester City. It’s down to Maicon to make choices. He wants to stay at Inter now that Zlatan Ibrahimovic is staying.”

Any potential decision on whether Inter sell the Brazilian remains with the president as Caliendo distances himself from potential bids and figures.

“Will Inter sell him for the right money? You will have to ask Inter president Massimo Moratti this question,” he said.

Meanwhile, Inter manager Jose Mourinho paid a visit to the Kwara Football Academy in Lagos, Nigeria and discussed the prospects of African football for next year’s World Cup in South Africa.

Mourinho will return to Milan tomorrow to begin the club’s pre-season training, but continued to praise African football, as well as attribute his own success to the players he has coached.

Specifically, Mourinho had great success coaching Didier Drogba at Chelsea and has also worked with other players from the continent such as Solomon Kalou, Michael Essien and Sulley Muntari during his career.

“Many of the African players are talented and every coach would like to work with these types of players because it is easier to obtain good results,” he told Corriere dello Sport.

“When people speak of my triumphs and the number of trophies I have won, it makes me nervous, because without his players a coach is nothing. That is why we can’t speak only of victories of Mourinho.”

The former Chelsea and Porto boss won Serie A in his first attempt last season and will now try to bring Champions League glory to the Nerazzurri.