Liverpool target Rodrygo as a replacement for Salah, priced at 85 million euros.
Salah's declining form (3 goals, 3 assists in 12 games) has prompted Liverpool to look for a successor. Rodrygo (24 years old) is a major target, and Real Madrid are reportedly willing to sell him for €85 million.
Liverpool are considering Rodrygo as a potential replacement for Mohamed Salah amid the Egyptian star's dip in form at the start of the 2025/2026 season. According to E-Notices, the Brazilian is one of Anfield's biggest ambitions, but the deal comes with the challenge of finding a suitable position and a fee of €85 million.
Key developments: from the decision to bench Salah to the Rodrygo target.
Salah recently extended his contract until 2027 and had a stellar season last year with 34 goals and 23 assists, helping Liverpool defend their Premier League title. However, this season he has only scored 3 goals and provided 3 assists in 12 matches across all competitions. In the 5-1 victory against Eintracht Frankfurt in the Champions League, manager Arne Slot even left Salah out of the starting lineup.
In this context, Liverpool have expanded their list of targets for a successor, and Rodrygo has emerged as a top choice. The 24-year-old is reportedly seeing his place in manager Xabi Alonso's squad declining, and Real Madrid are reportedly open to offers of around €85 million. Since joining in 2019, Rodrygo has won three La Liga titles and two Champions League titles. He has also attracted interest from several Premier League clubs.
Tactical analysis: the bottleneck is the wing position.
He prefers the left wing, while Liverpool needs the right wing.
ESPN previously reported that Rodrygo preferred playing on the left wing over the right. The report stated that the Brazilian player's representatives met with President Florentino Pérez to express their dissatisfaction regarding his playing position. This season, coach Xabi Alonso has also primarily deployed Rodrygo on the left wing.
Conversely, Salah remains Liverpool's primary attacking threat on the right wing. Convincing Rodrygo to switch wings will be a major challenge if the Reds want him to be a direct successor to Salah's role.
Player stance and deployment risks
Speaking to Marca, Rodrygo affirmed: “I want to stay at Real Madrid and I will not leave unless the club decides to sell me.” This stance means that any potential negotiations depend significantly on Real Madrid's attitude towards the 24-year-old's future.
Key statistics and facts
| Indicators/Data | Value |
|---|---|
| Salah's performance (last season) | 34 goals, 23 assists |
| Salah's achievements (this season) | 3 goals, 3 assists/12 matches |
| Salah was on the bench. | Liverpool 5-1 Eintracht Frankfurt (Champions League) |
| Transfer target | Rodrygo (24 years old) |
| The fee that Real Madrid reportedly accepted. | 85 million euros (according to E-Notices) |
| Rodrygo's titles with Real | 3 La Liga titles, 2 Champions League titles |
| Rodrygo's preferred position | Left wing (according to ESPN) |
| Salah's current role | Right wing at Liverpool |
| Salah's contract | Valid until 2027 |
Sources: E-Notices, ESPN, Marca.
Reaction and context
Salah being benched in the 5-1 victory shows that manager Arne Slot is ready to make drastic adjustments to optimize the team's performance. However, this is not a sign of an immediate change, as Salah's contract is still long and his position at Anfield remains very strong.
On Rodrygo's side, his stance of only leaving Real if the club decides to sell him means everything revolves around internal assessments at the Bernabéu. Liverpool, if they pursue him, will have to convince Real Madrid of both the fee and the player of a role that may differ from his natural position on the left wing.
Impact and prospects
Liverpool are facing two major questions: positional suitability and transfer value. If the target is a direct successor on the right wing, the biggest obstacle lies in Rodrygo's preference for the left. If the goal is to strengthen the attacking line, the €85 million fee demands a clear plan to maximize its value.
With Salah extending his contract until 2027 and remaining an icon in attack, Liverpool are likely to approach the situation gradually: maintaining internal competition, assessing performance over time, and only activating a "big-money" transfer when the positional issue – as well as agreement from Real Madrid and the player – is resolved.
