Liverpool have recently been showing signs that they’re ready to properly explore the South American transfer market.
Although the Reds have employed plenty of players from the continent over the years, it’s rare that they sign talents directly from their homelands.
Instead, Liverpool usually look at how they get on in an in-between stage in Europe. Luis Diaz from Porto or Alisson Becker at Roma, for example.
However, the last couple of transfer windows have seen the Reds linked with players from Brazilian and Argentinian clubs. And now, it turns out that Liverpool were also dipping their toes into those same waters back in 2022.
Liverpool named as Endrick admirers
The player that Liverpool were supposedly looking at two years ago is Real Madrid-bound wonderkid Endrick.
Endrick has been a big name in South America for quite some time now. Following a star showing at the Copa Sao Paulo de Futebol Junior Under-20 tournament, the teenager shot to fame across Europe, too.
In the end, he secured a move to Real Madrid which reportedly cost the Spanish giants around £60m. But according to his agent, Frederico Pena, he potentially had the option of joining Liverpool as well.
Speaking to The Telegraph today, Pena names the Reds as the being one of the sides who ‘came in’ for Endrick after the youth team tournament.
“That was when the world really sat up and took notice,” he said. “People in football already knew about him, but that’s when all of the top clubs came in – Manchester City, Liverpool, Paris St-Germain, Chelsea and, of course, Real Madrid.”
Just how much Liverpool come to regret not pushing harder to snap Endrick up remains to be seen.
Liverpool could profit from Endrick arrival
In a roundabout aspect, there’s a slim chance that Endrick’s arrival at Madrid could actually end up helping Liverpool.
With the 17-year-old set to move to Spain this summer, he’ll join a squad already littered with stars. As Kylian Mbappe also looks likely to be on his way to the Bernabeu, someone may have to be sacrificed.
And with that in mind, reports from this week have linked Liverpool with a move for Endrick’s Brazil international teammate Rodrygo Goes.
Should Endrick turn up and set the world alight in the Spanish capital, maybe it will increase the likelihood of Rodrygo eventually rocking up at Anfield. As the teenaged Brazilian has been labelled a ‘phenomenon’ by Arsenal’s Gabriel Jesus [Planet Football], it seems likely that he’ll soon be a starter for Los Blancos. Let’s see how it all pans out.