Manchester City transfer plan for €15 million Liverpool forward revealed – deal complicated by surprise factor

Manchester City will look to use their City Football Group network to further develop Liverpool Montevideo’s Luciano Rodriguez, should the club complete a deal for the forward.

The 20-year-old could be set to become the latest South American talent to be signed by the City Football Group, with the CFG currently compiling of 13 clubs globally, including Manchester City in the Premier League and Girona in La Liga.

Pep Guardiola is set to complete an internal City Football Group addition this summer, with Girona loanee Savio expected to move to the Etihad Stadium following an impressive campaign in Spain.

Argentina Under-20 and River Plate star Claudio Echeverri will also join the Manchester City first-team squad next season, with the attacking midfielder set to move to England in January 2025, after agreeing an initial £12.5 million move to the club.

Liverpool Montevideo forward Luciano Rodriguez could follow the trajectory of either Savio or Echeverri, with Etihad chiefs preparing a rumoured €15 million move for the Uruguayan international.

The 20-year-old, who is part Marcelo Bielsa’s Uruguayan first-team this month, has scored two goals in five appearances in the Primera Division so far this season, and has a total of 18 direct goal involvements in 41 matches for Liverpool.

Manchester City had been credited with showing ‘concrete and serious interest’ in signing Rodriguez by reliable transfer journalist Fabrizio Romano, with the Sky Blues seeking to beat Eredivisie giants Feyenoord to the signature of the 2003-born forward.

ESPN report that the City Football Group are willing to be pay an ‘extra €3 million’ in an attempt to complete a deal, with the CFG currently planning to send to player out on loan within the multi-club network before bringing the 20-year-old to the Etihad Stadium.

A transfer has been complicated by the player’s ownership however, with ESPN further revealing that Liverpool Montevideo only ‘control 80%’ of Rodriguez, with the player himself owning the remaining 20%.

Rodriguez could become the Blues’ fourth recent addition from the region, following in the footsteps of Julian Alvarez, Maximo Perrone and Echeverri.