Liverpool in the race for “world-class” £85m talent

Liverpool signed a “truly generational talent” in Florian Wirtz last month, as the German playmaker has been described by sports media professional Cristian Nyari.

His playmaking and flair will certainly help cover for the sale of Trent Alexander-Arnold, who now performs his talents in Real Madrid white.

Sure, the Reds have paid Bayer Leverkusen £100m up front, with the possible add-ons raising the deal to a British-record £116m, thus adding an incredible dimension to Arne Slot’s Premier League champions.

And Liverpool may yet welcome another attacking player to the fold, for rumours concerning Luis Diaz’s potential Anfield sale this summer are persisting.

Why Liverpool might need a left winger

Last month, Liverpool rejected Barcelona’s advances for Diaz, with the 28-year-old identified as the perfect piece to complete Hansi Flick’s frontline.

Slot wants to keep the 28-year-old on Merseyside, but every player has a price, and the Colombian is entering the penultimate year of his contract.

And according to Spanish outlet Defensa Central, Liverpool may find the perfect heir in Rodrygo, who will be allowed to leave Real Madrid this summer after playing a fringe role under Xabi Alonso at the Club World Cup.

The Brazil international has, however, been valued at a jaw-dropping €100m (£85m), so it would definitely take the big-money sale of a forward like Diaz to facilitate the deal.

Why Rodrygo would be a Luis Diaz upgrade

As per the report, Rodrygo would be open to a move to Liverpool, even if Arsenal currently lead the race for his signature, but he would only make the leap if given assurances that his place would lie on the left wing.

Luckily, Liverpool would be happy to oblige, for Diaz could be sold to get the transfer wheel spinning.

Rodrygo, 24, has routinely been fielded out on the right flank across his years at Los Blancos, but he’s long considered the alternate flank his most effective role, something that was reflected through his statistics across the 2024/25 campaign.

Rodrygo – Real Madrid Stats by Position (24/25)
Position	Apps	Goals	Assists
Right winger	29	8	5
Left winger	12	6	6
Centre-forward	8	0	0
Stats via Transfermarkt

Described as a “world-class superstar” by his former Real teammate Luka Modric, Rodrygo could absolutely come to prove an upgrade on Diaz, should he be entrusted with a regularity of minutes in his favoured position.

Liverpool’s South American sensation did post 17 goals and eight assists last season, but Rodrygo actually hit the same number of goal involvements (25) despite his travails.

Given his junior age and incredible mastery of the grand Champions League stage, there’s every chance that Slot could hit the jackpot by signing the one-time Santos prospect. He already boasts 25 goals in just 64 games in Europe’s premier competition, while Diaz has scored just ten times in 34 outings.

Moreover, Rodrygo has demonstrated that he can match Diaz’s crisp passing and his energy. As per FBref, the Brazilian ranked among the top 2% of positional peers across Europe’s top five leagues last term for pass completion and the top 14% for progressive carries per 90, as per FBref.

A carry is considered progressive if the ball is moved towards the opponent’s goal at least 10 yards from its starting point or is carried into the penalty area.

Ultimately, Liverpool would be selling a crucial part of the Slot project in Diaz, but Rodrygo is more than his equal and could prove to be the perfect investment to propel this team up to the next level.