It remains to be seen exactly how ambitious Liverpool are willing to be in the summer transfer window.
There are certainly a couple of areas of the squad which could do with some work as Arne Slot gets down to business.
One of the main objectives for Slot should be to improve the efficiency of the Liverpool attack. The Reds were simply too wasteful for large patches of this season.
In some ways, this can be done at the AXA Training Centre. Darwin Nunez, for example, will reportedly be kept on board instead of sold, but will need to hit the training pitches in order to get better. The other way to do this is obviously in the transfer market. And with reports that they are indeed looking for a new attacking signing, that avenue looks set to be explored, too.
Liverpool and FSG will have to decide whether they go for a more established star, or one who’s potential can be moulded. On Friday, former manager Rafa Benitez suggested why the former option may be the better one.
Rafa Benitez raves about Rodrygo Goes
It isn’t usually Liverpool’s style to go for big players who are already playing for giant clubs. But sometimes, if an opportunity presents itself, you have to take it.
There may currently be one such chance brewing itself up at Real Madrid. As Kylian Mbappe is set to join, reports have suggested that Rodrygo Goes could leave, with Liverpool in pole position.
It would be an extraordinary signing for the Reds, who missed out on Rodrygo when he joined Madrid for around £35m back in 2018.
Since then, the Brazilian has slowly become a key player at the Bernabeu. And writing for The Times on Friday, Benitez admitted that Rodrygo is his favourite Real Madrid player.
“The question is always raised: who is the best player for Real Madrid? Some will say Jude Bellingham, someone else Vinicius Jnr, but I like Federico Valverde and Rodrygo,” says the former Reds boss.
“Rodrygo plays alongside Vinicius Jnr in attack but is rarely talked about. For me, he is doing everything right,” Benitez adds.
“His movement is clever, his passing and the positions he takes up are good and we have seen his finishing can be the difference. Real has great individuals, but always under Carlo Ancelotti it is about the team.”
How likely Liverpool are to signing Rodrygo
Liverpool should have been gutted to have missed out on Rodrygo six years ago. It was quite a big price to pay for such a young player, but he’s turned out to be more than worth it.
And although this may look like a decent opportunity for them to finally get their man, we’re still sceptical about it.
In recent days journalist Fabrizio Romano has moved to distance Rodrygo from any talk of an exit from Real Madrid. He is not looking to leave.
As a result, we don’t expect Liverpool to pursue the 23-year-old with any real vigour for the time being.
That could perhaps change in a year’s time. It will all depend on how Mbappe’s signing has gone and whether it impacts Rodrygo’s game time.
From the outside looking in, you’d have to say that it very much will impact the Brazil international getting on the pitch. But if he’s as good as Benitez says, then maybe it’ll work out fine.