Things are getting a little more complicated in Liverpool’s chase for the Santos wonderkid Rodrygo.
Back in early March, reports from Brazil said the Reds had made a €5m bid for the youngster, who felt ‘rocked’ by the offer.
At the time, the Santos board were divided about Rodrygo. Some thought he was the next Neymar, and others advised the president to negotiate his sale with Liverpool.
But as learned by Sport Witness today, the Brazilian side are now optimistic the 16-year-old will end up staying at the club.
A source close to the process has told us that a new contract is being negotiated, and developments in the past few weeks have been positive.
Santos president Modesto Roma Junior is actually quite upset with European clubs interested in the club’s youngsters. Speaking to Globo Esporte today, the official described the alleged bid from Liverpool as something illegal.
Modesto was talking about the approach to academy players and said: “We are fighting against them. One of the agents said that there is a bid from an English club. If there is a bid, it is harassment and it violates a law of FIFA, as was infringed in 2011 with an athlete of ours. When they reach the age of sixteen, the vultures come in. It’s not easy, is it?”
With the first professional contract, Santos are now expected to protect the player with a high release clause. It’s worth recalling that Flamengo have just sold a 16-year-old for €45m, so the prices for Brazilian youngsters are definitely going up this summer.
Even if Liverpool had completed a deal, they would have found it hard, perhaps impossible, to get the player to England before he turned 18.
