Jurgen Klopp’s Liverpool reign of nine years came to an end following the conclusion of the 2023/24 season. The legendary German manager said goodbye to the Anfield faithful on the last day of the season, bowing out with a 2-0 victory at home against Wolverhampton Wanderers, thanks to goals from Alexis Mac Allister and Jarell Quansah.
Sadly for Klopp, he did not end on a high with the Premier League trophy he no doubt would have craved. Liverpool finished the season in third, nine points behind league winners Manchester City, who won their fourth consecutive title, and seven points behind second-place Arsenal.
However, the Reds did secure one piece of silverware last season, beating Chelsea in the Carabao Cup to win Klopp his final title as Liverpool manager. They were eliminated by the eventual winners of both the FA Cup and the Europa League, as Manchester United and Atalanta knocked them out of each respective competition.
Incoming manager Arne Slot will now have the task of conquering English football. It will be a big summer transfer window for the new manager, who will join from Feyenoord, and his new side have already been linked with one star who could be on his way to Anfield.
Liverpool target La Liga winger
The player in question here is Real Madrid and Brazil international winger Rodrygo. The 23-year-old has been linked with a move away ever since the signing of Kylian Mbappe was confirmed, and it is a move that could come to fruition later this summer.
Indeed, that is according to a report from Spain. As per the report, Liverpool “offered the Madrid club” a sum of £101m to acquire his services this summer, but the Spanish giants turned it down. However, they might consider an offer in the region of £126.5m, if Liverpool were to submit what would be a club-record second bid.
Aside from the Reds showing interest in Rodrygo, Pep Guardiola’s Man City side are also thought to be considering launching a bid for the Brazilian. The article explains that “no one rules out that one of the two will return” this summer to try and prise the winger from Madrid.
However, Rodrygo himself seemed to squash any rumours of a departure after helping Madrid to lift their 15th Champions League title, saying after the game “Of course I'm going to stay! Where am I going to go? I'm staying”.
With that being said, the reports certainly suggest Los Blancos would consider a deal.
How Rodrygo would fit in at Liverpool
Rodrygo is one of the most highly-rated players in world football, as confirmed by analysts and managers on multiple occasions. Football talent scout Jacek Kulig described the Brazilian on X as “simply incredible”, following his five-goal run in four games between March and April.
Not only that, his manager, Carlo Ancelotti was full of praise for him after scoring twice against Athletic Club in March. The legendary Italian manager noted Rodrygo has “a very high quality in his plays”, before claiming he was “the most important player of the match” against the Copa del Rey winners.
It was still a very impressive campaign for the 23-year-old, who managed to score ten goals and register five assists in La Liga, as his side won the title once again. He also scored five times and assisted three goals in the Champions League.
La Liga
34
10
5
Champions League
13
5
3
Copa del Rey
2
1
0
Supercopa
2
1
1
Should he join Liverpool this summer, Rodrygo could prove to be a replacement for their star man, Mohamed Salah. The Egyptian has been linked with a move away from Anfield this summer, but as per report from GIVEMESPORT, the Reds expect their talisman to stay beyond the transfer window.
Salah was as impressive as ever in the 2023/24 campaign, getting on the scoresheet 18 times in the Premier League, and notching up ten assists. He also registered nine goal involvements in as many matches in the Europa League for his side, which helped to take his Liverpool tally up to an incredible 211 goals.
By signing Rodrygo to eventually replace Salah, they are getting a very different profile to the Egypt international, as their Fbref stats show. Rodrygo is a superb ball carrier and uses his low centre of gravity and a sharp change of direction to easily glide past players.
He averages 6.02 progressive carries, 4.02 carries into the final and 3.18 carries into the penalty area per 90 minutes. In comparison, Salah averages just 3.48 progressive carries, 1.91 carries into the final third and 2.38 carries into the penalty area per 90.
Rodrygo is also a more successful dribbler in one-vs-one situations, attempting an average of 5.57 take-ons per 90 and a completion rate of 2.27, compared to Salah’s 2.73 attempted take-ons per 90 and 0.96 completed take-ons.
However, Salah is a more creative outlet on the wing than Rodrygo, as the stats reflect. The 31-year-old averages 2.34 key passes, as well as 1.99 passes into the final third per 90 and 2.41 passes into the penalty box per 90.
In contrast, Rodrygo averages fewer, with just 1.74 key passes, 1.59 final third passes 1.67 passes into the penalty box. Salah is a more progressive player, with 5.21 progressive passes compared to Rodrygo’s 3.41 progressive passes.
However, it is not impossible to have both players in the same side at Anfield next season. They create a balanced winger pairing, with one excelling in ball carrying and the other in creativity. With the Brazilian’s ability to play on the left wing, it allows both players to start and gives Liverpool’s attack a well-balanced feel, before he eventually replaces Salah in the years to come.
It will be an expensive deal to bring Rodrygo from the Santiago Bernabeu this summer to Anfield. However, his addition would make Liverpool a more threatening side, and it also allows the 23-year-old to become the main man, rather than the signing of Mbappe potentially meaning he spends more time on the bench.
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