Liverpool and FSG are preparing for a hectic summer with the departure of Jurgen Klopp coinciding with changes in the boardroom, and it appears they are getting a head start on proceedings by submitting an early bid for an exciting target.
Reds set for summer of change
There remains plenty of uncertainty around Liverpool this summer, despite their excellent season to date. They could yet end the season with three trophies, having already bagged the Carabao Cup and among the favourites to lift both the Premier League and the Europa League trophies.
As it stands, they sit second in the Premier League, but are only behind leaders Arsenal on goal difference heading into the final ten games of the season. Meanwhile, they are on the easier side of the Europa League run to the final, drawn against Atalanta in the quarter-final, before meeting one of Benfica or Marseille in the semi-final.
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The two Premier League giants could go head to head for his services.
But end-of-season change looms large. The club are certainly set to lose Klopp and Pep Lijnders, with the Liverpool boss and assistant coach both already confirming their departure from the club ahead of the new season. There will be change on the pitch too; Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip are both out of contract, while there remains speculation over the future of talismanic figure Mohamed Salah.
The Reds rejected a massive £150m offer from Saudi Arabia 12 months ago for the Egyptian’s services, but come this summer he will have just 12 months left on his contract at Anfield and, though he currently shows no signs of slowing down, Michael Edwards and Richard Hughes will need to make a decision one way or the other.
Salah’s replacement already identified
According to one source, the Reds’ new transfer gurus have already found the next man up in that wide goalscorer role. That comes in the form of Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, who could become available this summer.
As it stands, Real Madrid consider him a key player, but with both Endrick and Kylian Mbappe arriving at the Santiago Bernabeu, as well as the importance of Vinicius Jr, his opportunities for first team football on a regular basis will be limited.
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Rodrygo vs Salah 2023/24 league stats |
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Rodrygo |
Mo Salah |
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|
Appearances |
29 |
22 |
|
Goals |
8 |
15 |
|
Assists |
5 |
9 |
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Shots on target (per 90) |
1.33 |
1.39 |
|
Expected goals |
10.1 |
15 |
Liverpool have already shown an interest in Rodrygo previously, but were not willing to meet Real Madrid’s asking price. Now, however, Spanish reports claim that the Reds have ‘raised’ their offer from 60m euros to 80m euros (£68m). They add that thanks to the newcomers in Madrid, ‘everything indicates’ that Rodrygo will be the most likely to leave the club, but that Liverpool’s initial offer was ‘considered unacceptable’.
The new bid may receive the same response, with the Spanish outlet adding that Los Blancos chief Florentino Perez ‘has no intention of releasing Rodrygo for less than €100m’. He is a popular figure for both club and country; speaking during his time as Brazil boss, Tite was effusive in his praise of the young winger.
“Rodrygo has such quality that, when you see him, you get the impression that playing football is something easy. Because he has a highly developed technique. He is very fine and he is a talent that has been developed for many years in the Brazilian youth teams.”
At £85m, he would become Liverpool’s record transfer, but it seems certain that the Reds will have to splash the cash to find a ready-made replacement for Salah. They could do a lot worse than Rodrygo.