Every club on planet earth has their own ‘one that got away’. For Sunderland, their big regret may be yet to come.
Back in November, when there was still a sense of optimism around a season that would eventually end in major disappointment, without a senior head coach and in the depths of mid-table mediocrity, it was suggested that the Black Cats could have got their mitts on one of South America’s rising talents for around £3.5 million.
Seven months on, you’d have to double that figure and then some.
HITC have been informed that Manchester City, Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Wolves of the Premier League have joined the pursuit of Luciano Rodriguez, albeit a little late to a party Sunderland turned up at before the punch had even been served.
Manchester City future may await Luciano Rodriguez
Plying his trade at Liverpool (not that one, The Reds’ Uruguayan namesakes), 20-year-old Rodriguez has even been labelled his country’s answer to Kylian Mbappe due to his searing pace in the final third.
This week, Rodriguez’s agent spoke openly about his client’s future in conversation with Sport890. And his comments seem to suggest that the forward could become the latest South American addition to the City Football Group, with Man City’s Spanish sister club Girona currently at the front of the queue.
“Today, we have a concrete offer directly from Girona. Tomorrow we have a meeting with (Brazilian giants) Palmeiras for Luciano. (But) Girona offers the amount that Liverpool is asking for,” explains Mauricio Machado.
“The contract with Girona would be a four or five-year contract.”
Girona, after doing the double over neighbours Barcelona, secured their place in the Champions League for the very first time. The chance to join fellow Uruguayan and one-time Middlesbrough forward Cristhian Stuani also seems to appeal to Rodriguez, who is reportedly the subject of a £13 million bid from the Catalan outfit.
Chelsea, Nottingham Forest and Wolves may miss out
“Luciano was already talking to Stuani. They talked a lot about the city, the club, the possibility of playing in the Champions League,” adds Machado, who also confirms Everton’s interest in another of his clients, Midtjylland midfielder Emiliano Martinez.
“Palmeiras offers a better salary than Girona. (But) what weighs a lot is the sporting aspect. Girona is a step up because they play in the Champions League, and it means going directly to Europe.”
Should Rodriguez live up to those Mbappe comparisons at the free-scoring team sitting second in La Liga, the youngster may soon be following in the footsteps of Savio.
The Brazilian winger is on his way to Manchester City this summer having initially arrived in Europe at another City Football Group club – Troyes – and then taking Spanish football by storm in the red-and-white of Girona.