Liverpool clinched their 20th league title last Sunday with an emphatic 5-1 victory over Tottenham, and with the silverware secured, attention now turns to preparations for next season.
The Reds are expected to have a considerably busy summer window with quite a few changes expected, especially in attack.
Liverpool successfully secured Mo Salah’s contract extension earlier in April, ending the season-long uncertainty about the Egyptian’s future at the club.
However, the futures of Darwin Nunez, Diogo Jota and Luis Diaz remain uncertain. Both Nunez and Jota are expected to be sold by Liverpool, while Diaz has been linked with Barcelona.
But the Reds are looking for reinforcements with several names linked.
Premier League not the right move for Rodrygo
The Reds have been admirers of Rodrygo for years, and Liverpool even made a £84 million bid for Rodrygo last summer—an offer Real Madrid turned down at the time.
However, with his role at the club significantly reduced following a series of high-profile arrivals, the Spanish giants may now be more open to a sale. Despite the growing speculation, some pundits believe a move to the Premier League may not be the best step for Rodrygo.
ESPN’s Craig Burley said: “I don’t think he [Rodrygo] needs to go anywhere. I mean he has played, had his moments. Vinicius has not been great. Mbappe has not been great. Bellingham has not been great.
“He’s not got the problem that Endrick, Arda Guler, and Brahim Diaz have. Rodrygo gets plenty of playing time. But he is always going to be the guy who is always going to be surplus if it comes push to shove. But I don’t think that is a reason to leave Real Madrid.”
When asked if he were to leave, where would he thrive the most, Ale Moreno said: “I don’t think Rodrygo is in a place right now where he will be number one, two or three. He already feels left out and will always feel left out if he is in Real Madrid. But I think La Liga is the place for him.
“The struggles Savinho has had at Manchester City, you can see Rodrygo having similar struggles in the Premier League that demands a certain level of physicality or a manager that demands that he has defensive responsibilities, more defensive responsibilities than he has at Real Madrid.
“He needs to go to a place where he is THE guy. If I’m thinking La Liga and I’m thinking THE guy, I’d say Villareal. Now everything is around Rodrygo. But I don’t think he can be that guy for a top-tier team. That is where I see him as a player.”
Liverpool’s long-standing interest in Rodrygo
Not only did Liverpool make an attempt to sign Rodrygo last season, but they also tried to sign him when he was a teenager.
According to Liverpool Echo, Liverpool’s Chief Executive of Football Michael Edwards, who is a big fan of the winger, should be credited for discovering him.
Edwards reportedly made a £2.5m bid for him when he was at Santos, but the move did not materialise.
| Season | Appearances | Goals | Assists |
| 2022/23 | 57 | 19 | 11 |
| 2023/24 | 52 | 18 | 9 |
| 2024/25 | 50 | 13 | 10 |
And they continue to give up on signing him, with previous reports stating that Liverpool would love to sign Rodrygo.
It remains to be seen whether Liverpool make a move for him in the coming summer transfer window and if so, if the player decides to move to England or stay in Spain.
