If the Anfield team could sign this talent this summer, it would be a huge victory.
Now that FSG has appointed Michael Edwards as its new CEO of Football, Liverpool might benefit greatly from his leadership as the club enters a new chapter without Jurgen Klopp.
Arne Slot is a dynamic head coach whose high-intensity, aggressive style of play has helped his Feyenoord team overcome the odds to win the KNVB Cup this season and the Dutch Eredivisie title in 2022–2023.
Adam Crafton of The Athletic has described Slot’s team as “Holland’s best team and best-run club.”
Arne Slot, manager of Feyenoord
The third-place Premier League team is getting ready for an emotional farewell to Merseyside as Klopp bids them farewell, but Edwards’ astute business sense is already at work, and interesting transfer ideas are being sketched out.
Liverpool is considering a big-name acquisition.
As previously reported this week, Spanish sources claim that Real Madrid has turned down Liverpool’s offer of €120 million (£103 million) for the Brazilian attacker Rodrygo.
Although such rumors may be viewed with skepticism, Los Blancos will be joined this summer by Kylian Mbappe and Endrick, so there’s a significant likelihood that a costly transfer would even things out in the Spanish capital.
Forward Rodrygo of Real Madrid.
Even though Madrid currently seems to have batted Liverpool’s interest away, there are still a few factors that would need to come into place in order to enable such an incredible expenditure, so this is one to watch in the coming months.
The way Rodrygo plays
Rodrygo’s adaptability to any job is one of his most captivating qualities.
The 23-year-old, who is naturally a wide attacking player and would provide the dynamism and positional flexibility to suit Slot’s system, has spent the majority of the current campaign deployed at center-forward.
Talent scout Jacek Kulig referred to Rodrygo as a “future icon” because of his impressive statistical success as one of the league’s most potent attacking players. He possesses the technical and athletic abilities required to compete at the highest level and provides a reliable goal threat.
The Brazil international has scored 17 goals and provided nine assists in 48 games across all competitions this season.
He is most known for his scoring in both legs of his team’s Champions League quarterfinal victory over Manchester City.
Teammate Dani Carvajal has praised Rodrygo’s “magical” ball handling skills. According to Sofascore, Rodrygo has demonstrated an amazing array of skills in La Liga, completing 90% of his passes and averaging 2.7 shoots, 1.3 key passes, and 1.8 dribbles per match.
Quick, fierce, and productive, the £207k-a-week player would be an asset to any European elite squad, but how would he help Slot’s Liverpool team?
How Liverpool might accept Rodrygo
Over the course of his time at Real Madrid, Rodrygo has gradually improved, which is a credit to both his talent and his character. He has thrived in the harsh environment of the most prominent football club in the world.
In a €45 million (£40 million) transfer, he left his own country as a teenager to pursue a career of significance with Real Madrid.
His past performance indicates that he would be able to adjust to both life at Liverpool and the Premier League, though it would be necessary to determine where he would be most effective.
Despite interest from the Saudi Pro League, Mohamed Salah is anticipated to stay at the team, and Darwin Nunez, who is currently under fire, is anticipated to play for Slot the following season.
That leaves Luis Diaz, who has been among Liverpool’s most outstanding players lately (James Pearce of The Athletic called him “brilliant”), but who is arguably the most expendable, well-known attacker the team has. Let’s examine the cause of that.
The Colombian winger, 27, has a contract with Anfield until 2027, although Paris Saint-Germain and other teams have expressed interest in signing him. Barcelona, after which Liverpool placed a £75 million price tag on his head.
Although Diaz is quick and powerful when stretching defenses down the left wing, it is unclear if he can sustain his level of success for Liverpool given the amount of money that is being offered.
Eight goals from 36 games in the Premier League is not nearly the stat line expected of Sadio Mane’s replacement, especially considering that he has squandered 12 excellent opportunities.
Since Rodrygo’s “finishing levels are straight up terrifyingly good” (as noted by journalist Sam Tighe earlier in the season), Carlo Ancelotti has been able to use him up top more often than Lucho.
The Madrid player has contributed 27 goals from 65 appearances on the left side of the front line during his blossoming career, even though he is usually seen on the right side when positioned out wide.
Furthermore, his strength at the front of the pitch implies that he might develop a level of interchangeability with someone like Nunez, who has loved playing out wide for Liverpool.
Due of Slot’s flexibility in how he arranges his squad, multi-positional players may be targeted this summer. It would take a lot of labor to free Rodrygo from Madrid’s grasp, but the effort would be well worth it.