Liverpool or Manchester City? Rodrygo reportedly ready to leave Real Madrid for Premier League move
Rodrygo seems to be nearing the end of his time with Real Madrid, and as a result, a move away from the Spanish giants is becoming more probable. In that scenario, the Premier League stands out as the ideal next step, with Liverpool and Manchester City leading the race for the 24-year-old forward.
According to Football Insider, Rodrygo’s agents are currently in England, where they plan to meet with representatives from Liverpool. This likely signals that the player has given the green light for negotiations with other clubs to move forward.
But that’s not all. Those same reports also claim that after discussions with the Reds, the Brazilian forward’s camp will hold meetings with Manchester City as well. That suggests Rodrygo is open to hearing offers, and his final decision is still far from made.
Liverpool or Manchester City: What’s the better fit for Rodrygo?
At either club, Rodrygo would face major challenges and the opportunity to compete for top domestic and European titles. However, he would also need to contend with high-level competition in his preferred position—something he’s already experienced during his years at Real Madrid.
Rodrygo typically favors playing on the left side of the attack, a role he rarely held in Spain due to Vinicius Jr. occupying that space. At Liverpool, he’d be competing with players like Florian Wirtz, Federico Chiesa, and Cody Gakpo—each capable of playing that role.
At Manchester City, the list is even longer, with an added complication: Pep Guardiola’s tactical system often involves constant positional rotation, making starting roles more fluid. Bernardo Silva, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku, and Savinho are just some of the players who could vie with Rodrygo for minutes.
Rodrygo has no place at Real Madrid
The beginning of Xabi Alonso’s tenure as Real Madrid manager has brought noticeable changes compared to Carlo Ancelotti’s era. One of the clearest differences is Rodrygo’s reduced role. Once a key piece of the squad, the Brazilian has seen limited action under the new regime.
That was evident during the 2025 FIFA Club World Cup. Of the six matches played by Los Blancos, Rodrygo featured in only three. He started just one, playing 65 minutes, and came off the bench in the other two, totaling only 27 minutes.
Things didn’t improve in La Liga. In Real Madrid’s season opener—a 1-0 win over Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu—Rodrygo remained on the bench the entire match. Instead, Xabi Alonso opted for other attacking options like Franco Mastantuono and Gonzalo Garcia.
How much is Rodrygo worth?
At the end of 2023, Real Madrid and Rodrygo agreed to a contract extension through June 30, 2028. That deal included a €1 billion release clause intended to prevent an exit against the club’s wishes.
Clearly, the situation has changed significantly since then, and the Spanish side no longer expects to receive that figure. Reports indicate Real Madrid are willing to negotiate Rodrygo’s transfer for a fee around €80 million (approximately $93 million).