Real Madrid Willing To Sacrifice Star Player In Swap Deal With Liverpool

Xabi Alonso would be ‘delighted’ to have him at Madrid.

Real Madrid are open to the idea of a swap deal involving Rodrygo, according to reports in Spain, with Xabi Alonso willing to ‘facilitate’ a move for one of Liverpool’s summer signings.

Since joining the club in a £39 million move from Santos, Rodrygo has made over 250 appearances for Los Blancos across a trophy-laden six-year spell.

He impressed under Carlo Ancelotti, winning three La Liga titles and the Champions League twice, but the Brazil international has played a bit-part role of late, especially under new manager Xabi Alonso.

As a result, Rodrygo was heavily linked with a summer move. Arsenal and Chelsea were both rumoured to be interested alongside recently-crowned Premier League champions Liverpool

Spanish publication AS claimed Liverpool expressed an interest and were keeping tabs on his delicate situation at Madrid, but they eventually focused on other targets, including Florian Wirtz.

Rodrygo has struggled for starts under Xabi Alonso. Image credit: Getty

Wirtz, who eventually joined Liverpool for £116 million, had been tracked by Madrid for several months.

However, the Spanish club were unwilling to meet the demands made by Bayer Leverkusen and proceeded to withdraw from the bidding process, according to Spanish publication Defensa Central.

RUMORS: Real Madrid manager Xabi Alonso is reportedly keen to reunite with Florian Wirtz despite his struggles at Liverpool. With Liverpool still interested in Rodrygo, a swap deal between the two players is reportedly being considered!🚨🔴⚪️??

#RealMadrid #Liverpool #Transfers

The report also claims Wirtz ‘wouldn’t have hesitated’ to join Los Blancos if they had made a suitable offer.

In fact, as the German struggles to adapt to life in the Premier League, Madrid would be willing to include Rodrygo in an audacious swap deal for Wirtz.

“Xabi Alonso would be delighted to have him,” the report says. “For now, Real Madrid are following him very closely, aware that he could become a very interesting option to strengthen their midfield in the future.”

It adds: “But in the short term, it seems like a virtually impossible move, because Liverpool won’t want to sell him so soon, however interested they may be in Rodrygo.”

What has Rodrygo said about Liverpool?

Before his move to Madrid, the Brazilian forward came close to signing for Liverpool for just £2.5 million.

“We didn’t close the deal (with Liverpool) because I didn’t want to,” Rodrygo said in 2024. “I wanted to stay at Santos even though the offer was very good… finally, I was able to fulfil my dream of playing for Santos.”

“But it’s true, I almost went to Liverpool in 2017.”



Rodrygo came up against Liverpool this month. Image credit: Getty

Despite turning Liverpool down, he has expressed his admiration for the club and its fans.

Advert

Speaking ahead of a Champions League clash at Anfield in 2023, he said: “The game there is going to be very difficult, we already know this. Playing against Liverpool is always difficult whether with or without fans, but at Anfield even more.”

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta is reportedly hoping to have two of his stricken stars back in action for the North London derby with Tottenham Hotspur on November 23.

The Gunners are expected to receive a plethora of injury boosts over the international break and have already welcomed the news that Gabriel Jesus has returned to team training after an ACL tear.

The Brazil international has been sidelined for 10 months after rupturing his cruciate ligament in January’s FA Cup loss to Manchester United, but he is now on course to return before the end of the calendar year.

However, Jesus is still expected to be the last cab off the rank in terms of Arsenal’s injured stars, a list that also includes Martin Odegaard, Viktor Gyokeres, Noni Madueke, Kai Havertz and Gabriel Martinelli.

None of the quintet is expected to be sidelined for much longer after the international window, though, and according to The Mirror, two are bidding to return in time for Tottenham straight after the hiatus.

Arsenal to welcome two injured stars back for Tottenham clash?

The report states that attacking duo Gyokeres and Madueke are both pushing to return for the North London derby as they step up their recoveries from respective hamstring and knee complaints.

Gyokeres suffered a muscular blow during Arsenal’s 2-0 win over Burnley two Saturdays ago, although reports at the time stated that the Sweden international had avoided a serious issue, and he is expected to be back in full training imminently.

Meanwhile, Madueke has been missing since hurting his knee in September’s 1-1 draw with Manchester City – the winger was originally said to have faced up to eight weeks in the treatment room.

Without Gyokeres, Havertz or Jesus up front, Arteta was forced to shoe-horn Mikel Merino into a central striking role once again in games against Slavia Prague and Sunderland, but the Spaniard endured mixed fortunes over those two games.

Meanwhile, Madueke’s absence has not been so damaging to Arsenal thanks to Bukayo Saka’s presence, although the ex-Chelsea winger made an effervescent start to his Gunners career before entering the infirmary.

When could Martin Odegaard, Gabriel Martinelli, Kai Havertz return?

Martinelli, Odegaard and Havertz do not appear to be so close to comebacks, but the report adds that Arteta is still banking on the trio returning for the unrelenting festive fixture schedule.

The Gunners’ North London derby precedes a daunting Champions League barttle with Bayern Munich on November 26, as well other all-capital clashes with Chelsea on November 30 and Brentford on December 3.

Odegaard and Havertz (both knee) may still make their returns before the end of the month, while Martinelli’s recent muscular problem should not take too much longer to heal either.

Meanwhile, Arsenal are supposedly hoping to schedule a behind-closed-doors friendly game for Jesus during the international break, as the striker builds up towards a competitive return in either late December or early January.

Reds are hopeful their main injury woes will soon be over

Jeremie Frimpong, Alexander Isak and Alisson Becker

London Standard

Liverpool’s woes on the pitch hit a new low on Sunday with a 3-0 defeat at Manchester City, but their injury troubles are easing.

Alexander Isak was back in the matchday squad at the Etihad Stadium, though did not get off the bench, while Alisson Becker and Jeremie Frimpong are not too far behind.

It is very welcome news for Arne Slot, who has seen the Reds’ Premier League title defence all but end ahead of the November international break.

Here’s all the latest Liverpool injury news and return dates…

Alexander Isak

Alexander Isak returned to the matchday squad on Sunday but did not come off the bench against Manchester City despite Liverpool needing a goal.

The striker has been struggling with a groin injury but only returned to training with his team-mates on Friday so is lacking match fitness.

Ahead the weekend, Slot said of Isak: “He will train with the team for the first time today after being three weeks out. I know I said three weeks ago his pre-season was ended, so now we have to see where he is.

If you are three weeks only with the rehab, that doesn’t bring him back to the levels he was three weeks ago, although our rehab team has done an incredible job. You cannot compare rehab with games of football or training with the team. As much as we try to replicate it, it’s simply not possible. So, again I have to say give him some time.”

Potential return date: Nottingham Forest (H) on Saturday, November 22, 2025

Alisson Becker

Alisson Becker is nearing a return after a number of weeks out with a thigh injury.

Giorgi Mamardashvili has impressed in patches while acting as understudy, notably saving a penalty from Erling Haaland on Sunday, but Alisson’s imminent return will be a big boost for the Reds.

Sanierungspflicht: Was für Immobilienbesitzer giltFür wen gilt die Sanierungspflicht und was bringt das neue Heizungsgesetz? Ein Überblick.Schwäbisch Hall



Arne Slot said on Friday: “Alisson for sure [will be back] after the international break … we expect this.”

Potential return date: Nottingham Forest (H) on Saturday, November 22, 2025

Sidelined: Jeremie Frimpong

Jeremie Frimpong

Jeremie Frimpong is also nearing a return, but is a little behind Alisson Becker on his road to recovery.

The defender last month against Frankfurt suffered his second hamstring injury of the season and was ruled out for six weeks.

Arne Slot, though, has suggested that Frimpong is slightly ahead of schedule and could even return before the end of November.

The Reds boss said: “I expect Jeremie back after the international break as well because we play from November to March. But I don’t expect Jeremie to be fully fit [to face Nottingham] Forest.”

Potential return date: West Ham (A) on Sunday, November 30, 2025

Giovanni Leoni

Leoni suffered an ACL injury on his Liverpool debut against Southampton back in September.

The 18-year-old impressed in his first minutes in red, but was stretchered off shortly after.

He later underwent surgery and is expected to spend a year on the sidelines.

“He’s not in a good place, of course,” Slot said of the Italian. “He tore his ACL which means that he will be out for around a year.”

Potential return date: Late 2026

alexander isak

Alisson Becker