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Presidente, atacante, senador e modelo. Estas são as funções de Romário no America, segundo o próprio. Nesta segunda-feira (6), o clube carioca lançou os novos uniformes visando a temporada de 2024 e contou com a presença do Baixinho. Confira a coleção no player acima.

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Durante o evento, Romário revelou a dificuldade que é acumular funções, brincou com os jogadores que foram os modelos e ainda se emocionou ao falar de Romarinho, seu filho.

– É muita função, muita situação. Realmente não sei se vou conseguir administrar tudo isso – brincou Romário.

Ao falar de Romarinho, Romário foi aos prantos. O desejo maior desejo do Baixinho era poder atuar ao lado do filho. Confira o vídeo abaixo.

É um orgulho ver você vestindo a camisa do America e, por causa de você, vou voltar a ter oportunidade de jogar. Cinco, dez, 15 minutos, depende do treinador. A gente já tá conversado, aquele papo que a gente já sabe como é que funciona (risos). Enfim, cara. Que orgulho poder ter você no America. Tenho certeza que quando você entrar em campo, independente de qualquer coisa, você vai dar a vida pelo teu pai e pelo teu avô

---

afirmou o Baixinho

Nova parceira do clube, a Inove Mais Benefícios oferece uma variedade de serviços, descontos e seguros com enorme percepção de valor a um preço acessível, reforçando a fidelidade dos clientes empreendedores. E conta com um marketplace que tem milhares de opções em saúde, educação, lazer e bem-estar.

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– É uma honra ver a marca da Inove Mais Benefícios estampada numa camisa de tanta tradição quanto a do America. Estamos muito felizes por apoiar esse projeto que vai levar o America de volta à elite do futebol carioca, que é onde o clube merece estar – afirma Patrick Burnett, CEO da empresa. E completou:

– A Inove Mais Benefícios está aqui porque existe sinergia com a nossa estratégia de marketing e porque acredita muito no America: na instituição, na liderança do presidente Romário, na diretoria e, acima de tudo, na equipe e na torcida.

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O primeiro desafio do America será na Série A2 do Campeonato Carioca será contra o Petrópolis. O Mecão viaja nesta terça-feira para a Granja Comary, onde fará um período de treinos e volta na véspera da estreia.

Tudo sobre

AmericaFutebol NacionalRomário

Trent Alexander-Arnold has been singled out for some hefty criticism by sections of the Spanish press as his difficult start to life at Real Madrid continues. The England international arrived in the summer after bringing an end to his time with boyhood club Liverpool, but he has only managed four starts in La Liga and just one in the Champions League despite right-back mainstay Dani Carvajal being sidelined by injury.

Alexander-Arnold struggling after making dream summer transfer

Alexander-Arnold decided to call time on his Liverpool career after winning a second Premier League title with the Reds last season, signing for Los Blancos in time for the summer's Club World Cup. However, it has been far from an ideal start to life at Santiago Bernabeu, with the 27-year-old struggling to convince fellow Merseyside icon Xabi Alonso that he warrants a regular place in his starting XI. He has made three consecutive starts in recent weeks thanks to Carvajal's injury, but so far he has been unable to conjure up the creative spark that made him such an asset to Jurgen Klopp and later Arne Slot, failing to register a single assist since the start of the current campaign. Instead, it's been Madrid's attacking and midfield players who have been setting up the majority of the team's goals, with Arda Guler leading the assist rankings in their La Liga outings with five, while Vinicius Junior and Federico Valverde have contributed four apiece. Whether it will all come together for Alexander-Arnold in Spain remains to be seen, but the notoriously short-tempered local press have not wasted any time declaring how lost the right-back has looked during his first six months as a Madrid player.

AdvertisementGetty Images SportWhat the Spanish media said

While plenty of Madrid's players have struggled during the early parts of the 2025-26 season, Alexander-Arnold in particular came in for criticism after his performance in the 1-1 draw with Girona at the weekend. Writing for , Spanish journalist Alfredo Relano claimed: "Now that Trent is here, he seems like a clueless and insubstantial player, with the expression of a rabbit in the headlights. His quality at set-pieces is masked by his right foot, but in open play he is non-existent." The same publication had published a slightly more sympathetic report a few days earlier, admitting Alexander-Arnold had produced a "mixed bag" of performances since joining the likes of Jude Bellingham and Kylian Mbappe at the club.

How Alexander-Arnold performed against Girona

Madrid's draw with Girona was disappointing for a number of reasons. It was their third consecutive stalemate in La Liga, which allowed Barcelona to open up a four-point lead at the top of the table after Hansi Flick's side beat Atletico Madrid on Tuesday evening, and they had to rely on an Mbappe penalty to drag them level after Azzedine Ounahi had bagged the opener shortly before half-time. Alexander-Arnold himself committed the cardinal sin of failing to track his opposite number before the goal and couldn't provide much ingenuity at the other end of the pitch. He did create two chances but only completed one of his 10 attempted crosses, also committing two fouls in defence.

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Getty Images SportWhat comes next for Alexander-Arnold and Real Madrid?

While criticism has headed his way, Alexander-Arnold did enough last time out to be included in Alonso's starting line-up for Wednesday night's trip to Athletic Club. A win is crucial for Los Blancos, with manager Alonso starting to feel the heat after some unconvincing recent performances, while an improved showing from Alexander-Arnold could ease some the pressure starting to build on the Englishman's shoulder, and perhaps even provoke a more positive reception from the Spanish media. Regardless, the boyhood Scouser will be keen to show everyone he's not the 'clueless' player he has been labelled and perhaps start to work his way back into contention for England duty, with next year's World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico fast approaching.

A relieved Pep Guardiola joked that he lost his hair after Manchester City held on to beat Fulham in a nine-goal thriller. City escaped with a 5-4 victory at Craven Cottage in a match so chaotic, that even a comfortable four-goal cushion was not enough to calm Guardiola. And when he walked into his post-match press conference, the City boss was wearing the look of a man who had just survived a major life scare.

• City cruise, then collapse, then somehow hang on

  For the first 55 minutes, City were operating in ruthless form. Erling Haaland celebrated his 100th Premier League goal, shattering yet another record after reaching the milestone in just 111 appearances, and his team-mates followed with a flurry of strikes that suggested the contest was settled before the hour mark. Tijjani Reijnders added a second, Phil Foden curled home a stunning third, and Emile Smith Rowe clawed one back for Fulham before halftime. Foden scored again just after the restart, and when Jeremy Doku’s shot looped in via Sander Berge to make it 5-1, the away fans relaxed into their celebrations. This, it seemed, was routine. Another day, another five-goal haul under Guardiola; the 41st time his side had done so in the Premier League. 

  But what followed bordered on chaos. Alex Iwobi unleashed a 20-yard curler to reduce the deficit, and suddenly Fulham discovered a fire they had lacked all afternoon. Substitute Samuel Chukwueze, then transformed the closing stages into something close to a fever dream. His first strike rattled City’s composure. His second arrived six minutes later and sent the home crowd into a frenzy, urging their team towards an unlikely equaliser. In the final moments, only a desperate clearance off the line from Josko Gvardiol prevented one of the most improbable comebacks of the season.

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• Getty Images Sport
  

  Guardiola: 'It was survival!'

  Laughing in disbelief, Guardiola opened his press conference with a quip: "Did you enjoy it? Nice, huh?!"

  But when a reporter asked whether he had enjoyed it, the City manager threw his hands up. "Me?! My god, I lost my hair! My god!" he exclaimed, half-joking about the ninety minutes he had just endured. 

  Guardiola admitted that, during those frantic final minutes, City were simply trying to keep themselves afloat. 

  "It's the Premier League, you can't control, it's the Premier League," he said. "I know you're going to ask what happened, and I don't have an answer. It's the emotion, it's the football. Why you do this, why you do that? But I'm sorry to tell you, we made incredible things today, incredible, because I know how difficult that team is.

  "We proved it and scored the goals that we score and the quality we have done. Erling had a chance for 6-3 and immediately later, 5-4. And when that happens, it's just a question of survival. Don't tell me how, the players don't know either. At the end we take it."

  City are now just two points behind leaders Arsenal, who host Brentford next, yet their sloppiness at the back poses uncomfortable questions for a side chasing a sustained title charge.

  "Arsenal are so strong and so solid. So I know what we have to do," added Guardiola. "It will be difficult, but at the same time, the Premier League is so long. And I promise you that I have enough experience to make long, long runs to try to fight to win the Premier League."

• History made but defensive worries linger

  The match produced a catalogue of statistical firsts. It was Fulham’s first top-flight game with nine or more goals since 1968 and their first such home fixture since 1965. For City, it marked the first time since December 1957 that they had won a league match while conceding four goals. It also became the sixth Premier League match involving Guardiola’s City with nine or more goals, a tally bettered only by Manchester United (7).

  "Of course I was concerned [Fulham could come back], but this will help us in future games," Guardiola said. "Every game is a new team for some players. You have to make a process to start to correct. There were some really positive things in what we have done – to come here, to score five goals, and the way we played in that first half.

  "In the end, it was a question of character, resilience and defence. They did what they had to do."

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  What comes next for Man City?

  City will have little time to recover from the mayhem. They return to action on December 6, when they welcome Sunderland to the Etihad, and Guardiola will hope for something considerably calmer than the madness he survived on Tuesday.

Lancashire have confirmed Steven Croft as their new head coach after a successful period in the interim role.Croft stepped up after the departure of Dale Benkenstein in May. Lancashire did not win a game during the first half of the County Championship season, but rallied to finish fifth in Division Two, as well as reaching T20 Blast Finals Day.”It means so much to have the honour of being named head coach of this great club,” Croft said. “Lancashire has been a huge part of my life – from joining the academy as a young player, to captaining the team, and now stepping into this role off the field.”I’m incredibly proud of how the lads responded last season, and I’m excited for what’s ahead. We have a talented, driven squad who are passionate about representing the Red Rose and I believe there is much more to come.”My focus now is on building on the second half of last season’s progress, helping each player improve, and bring success back to the club for our members and supporters at Emirates Old Trafford.”Croft, 41, was part of the team when Lancashire last won the Championship in 2011. He retired in 2023 after playing more than 600 times for the club.Mark Chilton, Lancashire’s director of cricket performance, said: “We are thrilled that Steven has accepted the role permanently after making such a strong impression this summer.”Taking over during a challenging period in May, Steven displayed outstanding leadership throughout this summer. His passion for Lancashire Cricket, knowledge and understanding of the game, and ability to connect with players made him the outstanding candidate.”He will take a hands-on role in the leading of day-to-day coaching of the first team and will be supported by a restructured cricket department – including assistant coach Will Porterfield – with further appointments to follow.”

Francesco Lindor got the NLCS rematch between the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers off to an electric start on Monday night by crushing a leadoff home run.

Lindor launched a 417-foot homer off of Dodgers pitcher Dustin May's second pitch of the night, right into the bleachers at Dodger Stadium.

It was Lindor's 14th home run of the season, tied for the 10th most in the league, but it was also his sixth leadoff homer of the year. The Mets' franchise record for the most leadoff home runs in a single season is seven accomplished by Curtis Granderson in 2015 and '16, via MLB's Sarah Langs.

Lindor is one more leadoff homer away from tying the team record and two away from breaking it—and it's only June 2. He has plenty of time left in the season to add his name to the Mets history books.

The all-time MLB record is held by Philadelphia Phillies star Kyle Schwarber with 15 leadoff homers, which he just achieved last season. As we're not even halfway through the MLB season, Lindor could make a push to break this young record.

It's not a good time to be a Colorado Rockies fan.

The Rockies own MLB's worst record through the first month-plus of the 2025 campaign, and quite frankly, it's not even close. The team has won just six games through its first 37 contests and owns a stunningly bad run differential of -109.

Colorado dropped both games of a doubleheader against the Detroit Tigers on Thursday, capping off a series sweep at Coors Field. They were outscored 21–3 throughout the two games.

Kyle Freeland, who drew the start for the first game and surrendered five runs and 11 hits across just three innings, got emotional when addressing the media after the loss. When asked about what he'd say to fans amid the team's historically woeful start to the season, he issued a heartbroken response.

"Keep believing in us," Freeland said, seemingly fighting back tears, before leaving the podium.

Freeland is one of the longest tenured players on Colorado's roster, currently in his ninth season with the organization. Having been with the Rockies since his MLB debut in 2017, he was present for the team's consecutive postseason appearances in '17 and '18. He has also been present for the following seven seasons of mediocre sub-.500 baseball, and it would appear the losses are taking a toll on him.

For reference, the Rockies' 6–31 record equates to a winning percentage of .162. Only one team in MLB history has had a worse winning percentage through a full season: the 1899 Cleveland Spiders who finished the year 20–134. If Colorado can't turn things around quickly, they could find themselves approaching those historic lows come season's end.

Liverpool have a remarkable aversion to confidently defending Premier League titles. This season and in 2021/22, the Reds have found themselves on a sticky wicket after reaching the top, and Arne Slot has to find the answers quickly.

In fairness, the endless rut the club have found themselves in this season looks to have abated. Liverpool have gone four games without defeat, though it would simply be incorrect to suggest that they are back to their best.

With Mohamed Salah’s uncertain future rumbling in the background, FSG are ready to reinforce the struggling champions with a winter recruit or two.

But it might be at the back, and not in attack, that Liverpool need to prioritise.

Liverpool ready to sign a centre-back

Ibrahima Konate is out of contract at the end of the season, and there is still no resolution in sight. Real Madrid have ended their interest in the French centre-back, though, such has been the severity of his dismal season.

Errors have come by the dozen. Couple that with Konate’s weakness in the build-up, exposed by Trent Alexander-Arnold’s departure, and you can see that Liverpool desperately need a new elite partner to help the ageing Virgil van Dijk.

Last summer, Crystal Palace captain Marc Guehi was the chosen man, and now, sporting director Richard Hughes is ready to return for him.

According to TEAMtalk, Liverpool remain in pole position for the Three Lions star, with FSG confident that a deal can be struck, considering that personal terms have already been agreed and the player is said to still view Anfield as his preferred destination.

However, Bayern Munich are pushing, and so if the Reds want to avoid any doubts before Guehi’s contract expires at the end of the season, they must bid around £20m to bring him over next month.

Transfer Focus

Mega money deals, controversial moves and big-name flops. This is the home of transfer news and opinion across Football FanCast.

However, Liverpool’s defensive crisis suggests that that might not be the worst idea in the world.

Why Liverpool must sign Guehi in January

Guehi, 25, is one of the best centre-backs in Europe. Over four years since leaving Chelsea and joining Crystal Palace, he has established himself as “an absolute Rolls Royce of a defender” who is “world-class calibre”, as put by academy coach David Matthews.

The England star is just now coming into his own, stretching toward a widely recognised elite status. Liverpool must ensure that they secure his services before someone else does, especially since it could revive Van Dijk.

There’s no denying that the Netherlands captain has been poor this season, lacking his typical authority and imperiousness at the back.

But then Liverpool’s dysfunctional system has promoted inconsistency, and Guehi could prove the upgrade on Konate needed to rekindle Van Dijk’s flame.

The Eagles star’s ball-playing game is more expansive and dynamic than Konate’s own, and alongside the 34-year-old Van Dijk, he would help create a wider variety of passing patterns than Liverpool fans have been treated to this year.

Looking at how Guehi compares to Konate in the Premier League this season, you can see that the Englishman has more quality on the ball while also proving more combative and mobile in protecting his backline. Palace, remember, have only conceded 12 goals in the league this season, a total bettered only by Arsenal.

Goals scored

0.14

0.00

Assists

0.14

0.00

Touches

62.50

78.88

Pass completion (%)

85.4

89.5

Progressive passes

5.21

4.26

Shot-creating actions

1.64

0.72

Progressive carries

1.21

1.16

Ball recoveries

4.00

2.96

Tackles + interceptions

3.00

2.24

Clearances

5.14

6.86

Aerial duels won

2.86

3.96

Errors

0.07

0.22

Forget all the technical frills for a second; Guehi is quite simply much more composed on the ball than his Les Bleus counterpart, who has made so many mistakes this season.

Couple that with his progressiveness and intelligence when making forward passes, Guehi could be the perfect partner for the veteran skipper, who is still one of the best centre-halves in the business but is getting on a bit and could do with a stable partner who complements his strengths and adds synergy to the wider tactical system.

Liverpool make move for £88m Semenyo upgrade who can be "Ballon d'Or level"

Liverpool may need to sign a new winger given the unsavoury Mo Salah situation.

ByAngus Sinclair 3 days ago

Newcastle United have Bayer Leverkusen to overcome this week in the Champions League, but there’s a far more tantalising fixture sticking out across the busy December period.

The Premier League’s first Tyne-Wear showdown since 2016 arrives on the calendar next weekend, with Sunderland’s electric start out of the blocks in the top-flight this season no doubt ramping up the nerves on the end of the Magpies.

Eddie Howe will also be fearful of a loss when you consider Newcastle have lost their last four meetings in this tense rivalry, with Leverkusen in midweek the perfect opportunity to collect a confidence-boosting victory, before facing off against Regis Le Bris’ tricky Black Cats.

In particular, Howe will hope he sees a lot more from the likes of Yoane Wissa and Anthony Elanga at the BayArena, with both high-profile summer recruits failing to settle so far on Tyneside.

The numbers behind Wissa & Elanga at Newcastle

£250m in total was forked out on summer signings at St James’ Park, with £110m of that excessive spending landing both Wissa and Elanga.

There was a method behind Newcastle’s madness here, with the former Brentford man and the Swedish winger amassing a stunning 41 goal contributions between them last season in the Premier League.

Unfortunately for the £55m striker, though, he has only lined up for a paltry 16 minutes in Toon black and white so far, with his first appearance for the club coming last time out against Burnley, 96 days on from him signing on the dotted line.

He is far from a lost cause, however, with a hope he can add to his 45 Premier League goals shortly with sustained time in the first team, as he potentially prepares to start versus Leverkusen. If he doesn’t get up and running soon, with his hefty £140k-per-week salary also added to the equation, he will definitely be dismissed as a rash waste of money.

Elanga doesn’t have a troubling injury record to fall back on when it comes to his critics, with just two assists and no goals next to his name from 22 appearances on Tyneside, making his £55m price tag already feel extremely extortionate.

Still, there will also be a hope in the air that the £100k-per-week forward is simply a work in progress, having previously shone with Nottingham Forest, away from negative labels coming his way that he is a “massive overpay” in the words of Raj Chohan.

Staggeringly, despite £110m being dropped on the underwhelming duo in question, they’re not deemed as big a waste of money as this other high earner, who Howe must now swiftly axe ahead of key games to come in December.

Howe must now drop £120k-per-week Newcastle man

At least with Wissa and Elanga, Howe and Co would have known they were paying a premium price for talents who were consistent top performers in the Premier League.

In the case of Jacob Ramsey, though, £43m was forked out on a star who had a rollercoaster stay at Aston Villa, having only collected a mediocre eight goal contributions across his final two top-flight seasons in the West Midlands, leading to him falling out of Unai Emery’s first team plans.

Ramsey’s flashes of brilliance at his hometown club did see journalist Charles Watts once herald him as a “special” talent for the future, but eyebrows would have been rightly raised when the £43m move was finalised, with his £120k-per-week wage also making him an immediate higher earner than St James Park stalwarts such as Dan Burn, who pockets £70k-per-week, on the contrary.

In the here and now, too, it feels like an awfully long time ago since the 24-year-old was generating lots of hype at Villa Park, with a rare first-team start against Burnley last time out seeing Ramsey look rather timid.

Ramsey’s numbers vs Burnley
Stat	Ramsey
Minutes played	90
Goals scored	0
Assists	0
Touches	73
Shots	1
Accurate passes	56/60 (93%)
Accurate crosses	0/1
Key passes	1
Successful dribbles	1/2
Penalties given away	1
Stats by Sofascore

Indeed, it doesn’t make for pretty reading on Ramsey’s end, with the 24-year-old’s general game going down as largely uneventful, until he gave away an unnecessary penalty via a handball, with only one shot, one key pass, and one accurate dribble registered.

With no goals or assists next to his name from 11 clashes, it isn’t the wildest shout to suggest he’s a bigger waste of money than both Wissa and Elanga, with Wissa needing more time to acclimatise, while Elanga at least has two assists to cling onto and showed what a dangerous talent he can be last season..

Moreover, with both Joe Willock and Lewis Miley also at Howe’s disposal in midfield in the reserve ranks, there doesn’t seem to be a long-standing space for the ex-Villa man in his starting XI, as the forgettable number 41 likely just turns into an expensive background figure that can’t be redeemed.

The new Anderson: Newcastle could see £13m bid accepted to sign "special" star

Newcastle United could win themselves a cut-price Elliot Anderson alternative with this £13m star.

By
Kelan Sarson

Dec 7, 2025

Manchester United are now preparing a huge bid for a “sensational” midfielder, who is now their priority target, with Ruben Amorim personally keen.

Man Utd readying move for midfielder after Scholes' Mainoo comments

Paul Scholes has recently made it clear he believes Kobbie Mainoo needs to leave his boyhood club, given a lack of game time this season, saying: “For his football career he has to leave Man United. He has lost 18 months of development.

“I hope he goes abroad, it is embarrassing if he goes to Chelsea. They might go and get him, as they are putting together a very good young squad. They keep buying young players and the right good young players.”

Mainoo is still yet to start a Premier League game, although he did impress after coming on as a second-half substitute in the 4-1 rout of Wolverhampton Wanderers last time out.

The Englishman’s most recent display may give Amorim something to think about, but with his future up in the air, the Red Devils have now set their sights on a new central midfielder.

That is according to a report from Spain, which states Man United are now preparing a €100m (£87m) bid for Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton, who has been identified as their ‘absolute priority’ target in the middle of the park.

Amorim is personally keen on signing the England international, with bringing in a new central midfielder deemed essential, given that Casemiro is likely to leave upon the expiration of his contract next summer.

Crystal Palace are reluctant to sell one of their prized assets, but there is now growing interest, with Manchester City, Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur also keen.

Signing "sensational" Wharton would soften blow of Mainoo leaving

It is always bitterly disappointing when an academy graduate leaves, especially one as talented as Mainoo, with the 20-year-old playing a major role in United winning the 2024 FA Cup, scoring against Manchester City in the final.

That said, it would be understandable if the youngster wanted to leave, amid interest from reigning Serie A champions Napoli, given that his development is being stifled by a lack of game time, featuring for just 183 minutes in the Premier League this season.

Amorim's priority target: Man Utd step up interest in "special" Madrid star

Man United are now in the race for a “special” player

ByDominic Lund 6 days ago

Signing Wharton could soften the blow of losing Mainoo, however, with the Palace star a similar age to the Stockport-born midfielder at 21, and he has put in some top-quality performances this season.

Most recently, the Englishman chipped in with an assist as Palace won 2-1 away at Fulham, while he has also impressed at international level, making three key passes and maintaining a 91% pass-completion rate in the Three Lions’ 2-0 win against Albania last month.

Having proven himself for club and country, Wharton could be an excellent addition for Man United, and it is exciting news that a bid is being prepared.

Liverpool head coach Arne Slot has conceded in his pre-Leeds press conference that the Reds need to get Alexander Isak more involved in games.

Isak, 26, joined the Anfield side this summer for a British record £125m fee. Last season, Jamie Carragher declared him “the best striker in the Premier League”. He scored 27 goals in all competitions for Newcastle United, including the winner in the Carabao Cup final at Wembley, against Liverpool.

Isak’s Involvement on the Ball in the Premier League

Season

Touches per game

Passes per game

25/26 – LFC

17.1

5.6 (65%)

24/25 – NUFC

33.3

14.9 (77%)

23/24 – NUFC

26.8

12.6 (80%)

22/23 – NUFC

29.5

12.5 (78%)

Data via Sofascore

But he’s toiling away at his new club, and to little avail at that. This speaks of the wider tactical imbalances at the club right now, with the forwards all struggling and the midfielders and defenders too.

Change is needed, but with new and elite centre-forward options strapped in, FSG are turning their attention to Liverpool’s attacking flanks.

Liverpool lining up a wide forward

Last month, Slot was quizzed on Liverpool’s transfer plans ahead of the January transfer window, as the dismal form raged on. That stain has only spread since, but the coach hinted that the Premier League champions’ priority lies not with the rearguard but on the wing.

Liverpool didn’t replace Luis Diaz when selling the versatile Colombian to Bayern Munich in August, and that was clearly a mistake. Cody Gakpo knows where the back of the net is, but he’s somewhat one-dimensional, with fans annoyed by the regularity of his cutting inside when the ball finds him down the left lane.

Perhaps that is why rumours have resurfaced of Liverpool interest in Real Madrid star Rodrygo, with TEAMtalk suggesting this week that Anfield is one of the few places the Brazilian would consider joining; Arsenal have also been mooted.

Rodrygo may be undergoing a divorce with superstardom at Los Blancos, but that doesn’t mean Florentino Perez will let the 25-year-old leave on the cheap, tentatively transfer-listing him for around €90m (£79m).

Why Liverpool should sign Rodrygo

It’s no secret that Liverpool are interested in signing Bournemouth winger Antoine Semenyo in January, but Rodrygo is cut from finer cloth, the Brazil international having conquered Europe and Spain too during his time with Real Madrid.

Across 286 senior appearances, he has scored 68 goals and supplied 53 assists, and last year, Jude Bellingham said “he’s probably the most gifted player in the squad”, with frightening speed and deadly finishing and a versatile take on the attacking game.

Though he has served Real Madrid’s wishes out on the right flank for most of his career, Rodrygo actually prefers playing off the left. The right-footer believes he is at his most clinical in that role, and last season, though he struggled on the whole, he scored six goals and supplied six assists across just 12 outings.

Rodrygo – Career Stats by Position

Position

Apps

Goals

Assists

Right winger

148

34

31

Left winger

89

23

18

Centre-forward

85

22

8

Attacking midfield

4

–

1

Data via Transfermarkt

Rodrygo would surely displace Gakpo and cement a regular starting berth under Slot’s wing at Liverpool. Gakpo, scapegoated at times this season, is still not the multi-faceted wideman that Diaz was, and Rodrygo would restore that presence that FSG are so intent on replacing.

Hailed as a “world-class superstar” by former teammate Luka Modric, he is the real deal, alright, with pedigree on the biggest stage and so much more still to give. Rodrygo has lost his way in Spain, but at Liverpool, he could become a leading man, especially with Mohamed Salah ostensibly winding down.

He is a man of many dimensions, and indeed has more in his locker than Gakpo, even with the Dutchman averaging 2.2 created chances per game in the Premier League this season, the most frequent of any Liverpool player and the fifth-highest average in the division.

But Rodrygo, even at his lowest ebb, ranks among the top 2% of attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues for pass completion, the top 15% for shot-creating actions, the top 5% for progressive carries and the top 18% for tackles won per 90, as per FBref.

There is little question that Rodrygo would raise Liverpool’s level, adding width and pace and dynamism down the left flank and maybe serving out on the right when called upon.

Gakpo enjoyed plenty of success last season, scoring 18 goals and supplying seven assists across all competitions. He is a potent threat. But he also needs a counterpoint to jockey with out on the left, and Rodrygo would provide that presence and then some.

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Posts ByAngus Sinclair Dec 5, 2025