According to Give Me Sport, Rodrygo Goes is rather unclear about his future at Real Madrid. The Brazilian winger hasn’t shared the same spotlight as Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe or Jude Bellingham, and it appears the way Carlo Ancelotti has managed his game-time and role on the pitch has left him less than impressed.
At the moment, Rodrygo is considering his options, giving serious thought to asking for a transfer away from the Santiago Bernabeu, and he would be quite willing to consider potential destinations outside Spain.
This situation is believed to have raised the eyebrows at Liverpool. The newly crowned Premier League champions are on the lookout for attacking reinforcements, and Rodrygo has been on their list of potential targets for a very long time now. They were credited with strong interest in his talents before he joined Real from Santos in 2019, and it seems the 24-year-old may have come to regret his decision to reject the Merseysiders in favour of Los Blancos.
Rodrygo’s contract has three years left to run and includes a €1billion release clause, but reports in Spain suggest Real would be open to selling him, if he wants out, for around €80million. Right now, it seems he will seek to leave the Spanish capital, unless the coach who comes in to replace Ancelotti makes a strong effort to convince him to stay. Bayer Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso, who represented both Liverpool and Real Madrid as a player, is reportedly the first-choice candidate for the job.
However, Liverpool fans should not get their hopes up just yet. Whether the club will make a move for Rodrygo remains to be seen, depending on a number of factors.
First of all, the Real Madrid man was seen as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah before the Egyptian renewed his contract, and with that now sorted, the need for Rodrygo isn’t quite as urgent as it would’ve been otherwise. On the other hand, a long-term successor for the man who has undoubtedly been the main star of Liverpool’s resurgence under Jurgen Klopp and Arne Slot’s title-winning debut campaign will surely be needed at some point in the near future. He will, after all, turn 33 this summer.
Another thing that could possibly spur Liverpool into going for Rodrygo is the reported uncertainty over the future of Luis Diaz. The Colombian winger is said to be a target for Saudi side Al-Nassr, as well as Barcelona, and some say it would be a dream-come-true for him to play for the Blaugrana. There are two years remaining on his contract, but the 28-year-old has reportedly opened talks with the club over a new deal with the aim of improving his personal terms and securing his long-term future.
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In any case, it will be only down to Liverpool if a sale is to be made, but Diaz requesting a move and refusing to sign a new contract would probably go some way towards that outcome. In the current circumstances, the Merseysiders would likely get more than enough money to cover Real’s reported demands for Rodrygo if they decide to sell.
But with 12 goals and seven assists in the Premier League this term, Diaz has obviously played an important part in Liverpool’s glorious title charge. Rodrygo is, of course, a great player, but Diaz has already proven himself in a Liverpool shirt.
Another option for Liverpool to consider would be bringing Rodrygo in to fill the gap left by a potential Harvey Elliott exit. With all due respect for the 22-year-old former Fulham youngster, this would mean a considerable upgrade for the club, but any amount Liverpool may get for Elliott would hardly cover for a third of the fee needed for Rodrygo and force the Reds to make a significant investment. There is also the difference between Elliott’s wages and the money Rodrygo would want to agree to the move to consider.
And like with Diaz, a lot would depend on Elliott’s choices ahead of the 2025/26 season, and for the time being, he is believed to be leaning towards staying put and fighting for a place in the team under Slot.
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