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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
Sport
Thiago Rabelo in São Paulo

One that got away: how close Liverpool came to buying Brazil’s Rodrygo for €3m

Rodrygo Liverpool Brazil Madrid Real Madrid Santos Manchester City UEFA Champions League
Real Madrid’s Rodrygo kisses the European Cup after last month’s win over Liverpool in the final in Paris.
Real Madrid’s Rodrygo kisses the European Cup after last month’s win over Liverpool in the final in Paris. Photograph: Molly Darlington/Reuters

Liverpool were close to signing Rodrygo for €3m in 2017, a year before Real Madrid struck a deal to sign the Brazil forward for 15 times that amount, the Guardian has been told.

The former Brazil and Manchester City midfielder Elano has said he persuaded the then Santos president, Modesto Roma Júnior, to abandon plans to sell Rodrygo to Liverpool. Elano was working as an assistant coach at Santos and a 16-year-old Rodrygo was yet to make his first-team debut.

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