Spanish outlet Fichajes has claimed that Liverpool are among the potential suitors for Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo de Paul this summer.
The Argentine midfielder arrived at Wanda Metropolitano two years ago but has failed to make an impression since then. He was signed from Udinese for a fee in the region of £30 million but has managed to register only six goals and as many assists in his 76 appearances for the club.
De Paul could now be sold in the summer and the report suggests that Liverpool would be open to paying £35 million for the South American. This would allow the former La Liga champions to recover the sum they paid for de Paul back in 2021.
Naby Keita and Alex Oxlade-Chamberlain are out of contract this summer and are likely to leave as free agents and so the Reds are looking to make some serious investments in their midfield. Consequently, Jurgen Klopp’s side have also been linked with Jude Bellingham but the Englishman could be out of reach for Liverpool due to the hefty price tag on his back.
Our View
Liverpool are due for a midfield rebuild and instead of spending their limited budget on a single player like Bellingham, they should look to sign at least two quality options for a more reasonable fee.
Rodrigo de Paul, as we saw in the recently concluded Qatar World Cup 2022, is someone who can have an important role to play in the right system. His physicality and off-the-ball work rate make him an exciting player to watch but those attributes would also mean he should fit well into Klopp’s system if he were to move to Anfield.
The reported £35 million fee would also be shrewd business by Liverpool for a player of his quality, and it would leave plenty left over in the budget for Klopp to bring in one or two more midfielders this summer.
