Rumour Mongering: Liverpool, Milan, and Inter Target Rodrigo De Paul

Liverpool are likely to be in the market for a midfielder this summer if, as expected, Gini Wijnaldum departs on a free when the season is over. That has led to a situation where plenty have been quick to link potential replacements to the Reds.

One of those is Rodrigo de Paul, a 26-year-old Udinese and Argentina box-to-box player whose name has occasionally popped up in connection with Liverpool and does so again this week by way of reports out of Italy led by FC Inter News.

They claim Liverpool are one of three clubs—along with AC Milan and, naturally, Inter Milan—who have made contact with Udinese and the player’s agent ahead of a potential summer move for the midfielder who has three years to run on his current deal.

The agent in question, though, should give pause. Because it’s Mino Raiola, currently in the limelight for loudly trying to sell Erling Haaland to the likes of Real Madrid and telling Dortmund he’ll bolt on the cheap next year if they don’t sell now.

The only Raiola client Liverpool have had on the books is Mario Balotelli, and given the agent’s history of trying to engineer frequent moves, there is a general belief Liverpool are one of a number of clubs who view his involvement as a negative.

For their part, Udinese are said to want €40M if they’re to sell De Paul. He has managed an impressive nine goals and nine assists in 33 Serie A appearances, but those attacking contributions have only been enough to help Udinese to 11th place.