Rodrygo to Liverpool: why this move would be smarter than it looks

After writing about Ekitike and Isak over the weekend, there is another name that keeps coming up, Rodrygo.

He has not played much this past season, but that is not down to form, it is down to a certain French arrival in Madrid who changed the entire front line. Rodrygo has not suddenly become a worse player. He has simply been edged out by circumstance, and if Liverpool are thinking about structure, quality and availability, Rodrygo makes a lot of sense.

He is versatile, he is quick, 33.9kmh top speed last season, he has won everything and, most importantly, he is available. There is no adapting period or development arc, you know what you are getting.

A Reliable Forward Across All Three Positions

Rodrygo can play across the front three positions, left, right and centrally. That is not just a theoretical claim. He has done it at the highest level, winning 2 ECL and 3 league titles for a Real Madrid side that demands control, execution and intelligence in all areas of the pitch. The table below indicates the flexibility in the positions played, for the three season before the frenchman arrived. In all positions, he is either on par for goals or assists, or within 2 goals/assists.