Liverpool

Liverpool

Premier League • England

Liverpool, Arsenal prepare ‘significant offers’ for Real Madrid superstar as January transfer battle takes shape

Liverpool and Arsenal are being linked with Rodrygo

Liverpool and Arsenal are being linked with Rodrygo

Arsenal and Liverpool are eyeing a move for Real Madrid forward Rodrygo, who could potentially be available for transfer in 2025, according to reports.

The Brazilian, who can play as a striker or winger, has lost his spot in Real Madrid’s starting XI, with Kylian Mbappe ahead of him in the pecking order.

Rodrygo was heavily linked with a move to the Premier League over the summer but chose to stay and fight for his place at the Bernabeu.

According to Fichajesboth Liverpool and Arsenal are ready to make a ‘significant offer’ for the talented 23-year-old as they look to bolster their respective attacking ranks.

Real Madrid will ‘seriously consider’ selling Rodrygo if a suitable offer is made in the January window, with the Premier League emerging as his most likely destination.

The report claims that the next few months will be ‘crucial in defining the future of Rodrygo’ – indicating that a departure could depend on the amount of playing time he gets between now and January.

Previous reports have claimed that Real Madrid value Rodrygo at around €120m (£100m / $130m) and it’s suggested that Liverpool and Arsenal could consider a bid of that size.

READ MOREFabrizio Romano confirms Leeds have signed France international as Liverpool star is linked with January move

Liverpool have four other wingers in mind – sources

It’s no secret that Liverpool have been scouring the market for winger targets amid the uncertainty surrounding the future of Mo Salah.

The Egyptian international is out of contract at the end of the season and sources close to the Reds say they expect him to join a Saudi Pro League club on a free transfer.

Liverpool sporting director Richard Hughes already has his eye on several winger targets and TEAMtalk understands that Rodrygo is NOT a top target, contrary to the report.

We understand that Real Sociedad’s Takefusa Kubo, Borussia Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi and Bayern Munich’s Leroy Sane are Liverpool’s top three winger targets, while Napoli’s Khvicha Kvaratskhelia is also admired.

Arsenal, on the other hand, are also keen to sign a new winger. They are not planning to sign Raheem Sterling on a permanent basis after his loan from Chelsea ends, either.

Rodrygo has been linked with the Gunners before but we feel it is unlikely they would spend £100m to bring him in.

Brentford star Bryan Mbeumo is also being tracked by Arsenal, as well as Liverpool, and he seems a more likely addition for the North London club than Rodrygo.

Liverpool transfer latest: Bundesliga defender eyed / Madrid make Trent offer

In other news, Liverpool are reportedly interested in RB Leipzig centre-back Castello Lukeba, who is also a target for Manchester United and Real Madrid.

The left-footed centre-back has been a guaranteed starter in Leipzig ever since his €34m (£29m / $37m) switch from Lyon in the summer of 2023. He has just signed a new contract which is valid until 2029, but Fabrizio Romano has suggested that he could still leave at the end of the season.

“His exit in summer 2025 remains a possibility,” Romano has claimed. Reports suggest that Liverpool and Man Utd ‘have been interested’ in Lukeba for several months. Both clubs would seek a summer move if they do act on their interest.

Meanwhile, Liverpool are desperately trying to keep hold of Trent Alexander-Arnold, whose current contract is set to expire at the end of the season.

Real Madrid have been in contract with Alexander-Arnold’s agents for months and according to a recent report, are willing to offer him a contract of £14m to £15m per year at the Bernabeu and on a contract until the summer of 2030. That would be worth around £288,000 a week, or £75m over the duration of a five-year deal.

Alexander-Arnold will be eligible to negotiate a pre-contract agreement with interested overseas suitors from January 1 – just 70 days from now.

Liverpool remain confident that Alexander-Arnold will sign a new contract at Anfield and the player isn’t actively pushing for an exit, contrary to some reports.

But as January nears, the speculation surrounding the full-back’s future will only increase as Real Madrid look to poach him on a free transfer.

IN FOCUS: Rodrygo vs Salah, 2024/25 stats

Rodrygo was tipped to be one of the main casualties of Real Madrid’s seismic move to sign Kylian Mbappe this past summer. But while the Brazilian attacker finds himself further down the attacking pecking order at the Bernabeu, he has still remained productive and influential for the 15-time champions of Europe.

The versatile 23-year-old forward has scored three goals from 10 La Liga appearances so far this term. But only six of those outings have come as a starter. Rodrygo is averaging a goal every 216 minutes for Los Blancos.

And although he has only registered one assist in that time, he ranks in the 98th percentile among La Liga forwards for shot-creating actions per 90 minutes (4.29).

He is also in the 99th percentile for progressive carries per 90 (5.16), the 98th percentile for successful take-ons (2.09) and the 93rd percentile for progressive passes (3.61).

As impressive as Rodrygo’s numbers are, however, he cannot match Salah’s output with Liverpool.

The Egyptian winger has been outstanding for Arne Slot’s side, notching five goals and providing another five assists in eight Premier League games so far this term. That gives him an average of a goal every 139 minutes and a goal involvement every 69.6 minutes.

And while Salah doesn’t complete as many take-ons (1.15) or progressive carries (3.45) per 90 as Rodrygo, the Liverpool superstar is a supreme creator, boasting a better per-90 average for shot-creating actions (five).

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