Which Wide Forward Should Liverpool Make Late Move For?

Rodrygo, Rogers or Fofana - What do the numbers say?

There is a growing belief that Liverpool might not be finished in this transfer window. The outcome of the Isak situation could still shift priorities, but if the club moves for a wide forward in the final stretch, there are essentially three names in the frame: Rodrygo, Morgan Rogers and Malick Fofana.

They are three very different players, with different profiles, prices and pathways. But this is not about names. It is about numbers, fit, structure and impact. The question is not who is the most talented, it is who makes the most sense. If the club does pull the trigger late in the window, which of these three fits Liverpool best?

Rodrygo: High Quality, High Cost

Rodrygo has long been admired at Liverpool. His name keeps surfacing for a reason. You do not become a key player at Real Madrid without being able to affect games at the highest level. When we ran the data, in one Madrid match alone, Rodrygo was responsible for over 25% of their attacking threat in the game we looked at, as the below heat map shows where he was playing in the right wing forward boxes. That is not just involvement; that is a key component of an attacking unit.

He is heavily active in the half spaces and zone 14, which is precisely what we ask from our wide forwards. He links play, receives smartly, combines in tight spaces and consistently plays across the front line. His versatility is important. Especially with Mo Salah heading to AFCON, there is a genuine need for a player who can cover the right side without forcing us to use one of our right-back options every match in that role, so we have to use both right-backs in each game. That is not sustainable over a six-week period. Rodrygo would give us flexibility in those moments.