Real Madrid want to use Florian Wirtz in Rodrygo deal

Liverpool stunned the football world by completing a British record deal for Florian Wirtz earlier this summer.

The 22-year-old was acquired by the Reds for a fee that could reach £116m - coming on board from 2023/24 Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen.

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Arne Slot has got a world-class playmaker to build his attack around in the seasons ahead - with the Germany international a capable performer in the No10 and left-sided attacking positions.

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The deal has sent SHOCKWAVES through front-offices across Europe - with Wirtz now being used as a yardstick to measure similar transfers.

Liverpool cool interest in Rodrygo

Rodrygo, 24, is being lined up for a sale by Real Madrid during this transfer window. The two-time Champions League winner is under contract until 2029 - but is set to be offloaded by new coach Xabi Alonso.

Tottenham appear to be now in the lead for the Brazil international - with Liverpool’s interest said to be cooling. With Cody Gakpo and Rio Ngumoha as left-wing options - not to mention Wirtz and Hugo Ekitike - Liverpool are well stocked in the position.

While Rodrygo is a great player in his own right the deal just wouldn’t make sense on a financial level for the Reds.

Rodrygo's exorbitant costs

For one, there’s the wages. The latest reports indicate that Rodrygo would command around €400k per week - parity with Virgil van Dijk and Mo Salah.

And then there’s the €100m transfer fee - which Liverpool may have inadvertently help set. That’s according to a new report in Defensa Central, which claims Real Madrid are USING Wirtz’s fee to set the price for Rodrygo.

Madrid use Wirtz valuation to set Rodrygo price

“If they paid 140 million for him… Rodrygo can't cost less than 100,” Defensa Central quotes a Real Madrid source as saying. Liverpool have acquired a player on the up - coveted by all the biggest teams in Europe including Madrid and Manchester City.

Rodrygo on the other hand would cost MORE in wages and Madrid clearly feel he is already on the wane.

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Wirtz is far more of a sure thing than Rodrygo at this stage of their respective careers. Try as they like, Madrid are simply not going to convince Liverpool to pay €100m for a cast-off.

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