16 hours ago
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Liverpool has not been afraid to shop like a league champion this summer. Potential British transfer record Florian Wirtz is already looking like a brilliant investment, and he may yet be followed through the door by Alexander Isak, who has a reasonable claim to be the best striker in the world right now.
Even if that does not come to fruition, Liverpool has already added Hugo Ekitike, who was also among the summer's most coveted options. While he is not at Isak's level just yet, multiple clubs recognized his potential to get there.
With Richard Hughes clearly getting his elbows out, all that's really missing when it comes to making a statement is a transfer raid on an established European giant. In that respect, swooping to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid would certainly fit the brief.
There is a surface-level logic to the links. Rodrygo finds himself a little toward the periphery at the Bernabeu, so it would not be a completely audacious move.
And Liverpool has just sold Luis Diaz to Bayern Munich. So in theory, it should be on the lookout for a big name on the left wing.
But given the aforementioned attacking remodeling at Anfield, it's not at all clear that this is what Liverpool truly needs. Ekitike and Wirtz could both play on the left if necessary, and that's before mentioning the incumbent Cody Gakpo, who netted twice against Athletic Club in the final preseason friendly.
Then there's the prodigious Rio Ngumoha. It would have seemed bold predicting a genuine role for him ahead of preseason, but he has positively hammered on Slot's door with his performances.
However, Liverpool can take a stark reminder of Rodrygo's qualities from an unlikely source. Speaking before the clash with Real Madrid last season, Arsenal player Mikel Merino surprisingly namechecked the Brazilian as his dream teammate.
"They are all players of a very high level, I love them all, but I have already said that I would like to play with him [Rodrygo]," Merino told El Partidazo de COPE when asked who from the Real Madrid squad he would choose to play alongside. "He is very good technically; between the lines, he plays very well, he runs into space well.
"I really enjoy watching him play. It's a profile that every midfielder would like to play with."
Liverpool has no shortage of world-class midfielders. Wirtz has joined a group that already included Dominik Szoboszlai, Alexis Mac Allister and Ryan Gravenberch, not to mention the likes of Harvey Elliott.
And if Merino is to be believed, Rodrygo would complement them nicely. All of them have an eye for a pass, and the 24-year-old is a master at probing space and getting into positions where he can be found.
Even so, a transfer to Anfield still seems unlikely. Scouting out a direct "Diaz replacement" ignores the nuances of Slot's flexible front line, and the arrival of Isak would definitively render Rodrygo surplus to requirements.
Further complicating any potential transfer, AS reports that Rodrygo has decided to stay at Real Madrid. So even with all the praise in the world from Arsenal stars, the Brazilian does not look bound for the Premier League.
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