While Liverpool continues to look for opportunities to strengthen their team, some opinions of Arsenal -midfielder Mikel Merino have emerged on one of their goals
Arsenal -Mikel Merino Merino believes that Liverpool would sign a top quality player if they buy Real Madrid Ace Rodrygo. The Reds have chased Alexander Isak, but Newcastle United has held the company despite a mega offering offer.
The Magpies recently rejected an offer worth £ 120 million for the services of the Swede. Reports have claimed that the side of Arne Slot does not intend to make a second bid, but are an eye on the situation between Isak and the Magpies, with the player recently returning to the club. The striker had only trained for a period of time in the facilities of his former club Real Sociedad, after he did not travel to Asia for the Newcastle tour for the season.
However, reports from Brazil have also claimed that the MerseSiders are shifting their attention to Rodrygo, whose price tag would have fallen with the Spanish giants. One report has even claimed that an informal agreement has been agreed between the Brazilian and the defensive Premier League champions compared to personal conditions.
Given his earlier comments about Rodrygo, Merino would be concerned about the power of Liverpool as a rival club when he arrived at Merseyside. Before the Gunners were confronted last season with Real Madrid in the quarterfinals of the Champions League quart finals, Merino was asked which player would like to play at Los Blancos.
Although he had Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior to choose from, he opted for Rodrygo. He said to El Partidazo de Cope: “They are all players of a very high level, I love them all, but I already said that I would like to play with him [Rodrygo].
“He is technically very good; between the lines he plays very well, he comes into the space well. I really enjoy seeing him playing. It is a profile that every midfielder would like to play with.”
Arsenal investigated a chance to bring Rodrygo to the Emirates Stadium, but instead they chose to sign Chelsea Star Noni Madueke for £ 52 million. Reports from ESPN Brazil have claimed that Liverpool has made contact with the agents of Rodrygo and will soon be able to make a first formal offer for his services.
It has been claimed separately that Liverpool has already spoken with the people of Rodrygo and that he has given an early green light to personal conditions with the Reds.
As far as the move itself, it remains early days, with nothing officially or formally agreed. What is clear is that Liverpool is looking for more firepower in their front line.
Despite the signing of Florian Wirtz for a Premier League record £ 116 million and the French attacker Hugo Ekitike for £ 79 million, while he also holds on to Mohamed Salah, Slot still wants more options in his forward line. Luis Diaz recently left for Anfield to join Bayern Munich for £ 65 million and striker Darwin Nunez has been identified as a target by Saudi-Arab side Al-Hilal.
In the meantime, Isak is still stuck in an impasse with Newcastle, although it seems that a second bid will not come from the Reds yet. Newcastle -Manager Eddie Howe recently admitted that he does not know what will happen in the future.
After they had drawn 1-1 with Tottenham Hotspur in the last match of their tour through Asia, said Howe, who responded to Liverpool's bid, said: “I don't know what happens next. From our perspective we still support Alex in all ways and my wish is that we see him again in a new castle shirt.”
Isak was depicted to return to the Newcastle training field on Monday morning for conversations about the current situation.