Romano explains why Liverpool turned down chance to sign 48-cap ace on free transfer this summer

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Empire of the Kop

·19 September 2024

Romano explains why Liverpool turned down chance to sign 48-cap ace on free transfer this summer

Fabrizio Romano has explained why Liverpool seemingly turned down the chance to sign an experienced international on a free transfer during the summer.

In July, the Reds were reportedly approached about the opportunity to sign Adrien Rabiot after his release from Juventus (Graeme Bailey, HITC), but the 48-cap France international has now joined Marseille instead.

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Reacting to the transfer news on his Daily Briefing for CaughtOffside on Wednesday, the reporter wrote: “The Premier League was his dream but his salary requests were considered too expensive.”

According to Capology, Rabiot is on wages of £103,000 per week at Marseille, and even that is a significant drop from more than £145,000 weekly during his time with Juventus.

There are currently a dozen players on six-figure weekly salaries at Liverpool (Capology), and even that subset has lessened over the summer following the exits of Thiago Alcantara and Joel Matip.

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However, with the France midfielder turning 30 next April, perhaps the Reds felt that the money which would’ve been spent on his wage packet would be put to better use elsewhere…perhaps to keep our three highest earners (Mo Salah, Virgil van Dijk, Trent Alexander-Arnold) at the club.

Considering how impressively the midfield trio of Ryan Gravenberch, Alexis Mac Allister and Dominik Szoboszlai have started the season, Rabiot would’ve been a luxury player in Arne Slot’s squad, signed because of an opportunity rather than as someone who’d have drastically altered how the team plays.

Even on a free transfer, Liverpool clearly felt that the Frenchman wouldn’t have been worth the investment which would’ve been required to bring him to Anfield, particuarly given the ‘incompetent‘ reputation of his agent, who happens to be his mother Veronique.

We don’t think Reds fans will be too troubled over letting this one pass the club by in the summer.

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