Real Madrid have now reportedly made a shock move for a certain Liverpool star.
Having only signed Aurelien Tchouameni for a big fee last year ahead of the 2022/23 season, Real are expected to splash the cash in the next transfer window.
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A handful of their first-team regulars will be out of contract at the end of the season, including Karim Benzema, Luka Modric and Toni Kroos, so a number of departures could be expected at the club should some of them not renew their deals.
It now looks as though the LaLiga giants have already begun preparations for bolstering their squad, with Los Blancos having made a move to sign Liverpool star Roberto Firmino, according to the Daily Mail.
The striker has already confirmed that he will not extend stay at Anfield when he deal runs out in June, and he is set to become a highly sought-after free agent as a result.
Real do not have a reliable back-up striker for Benzema, with the player who currently occupies that role, Mariano Diaz, set to leave the Spanish giants after this campaign, and it is believed the Madrid side has identified Firmino as the ideal replacement on a free deal.
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It is further claimed that Real president Florentino has "learned a lesson" about signing expensive strikers, with Los Blancos' failed acquisition of Luka Jovic cited as an example, while it is understood that the LaLiga club is also ready to spend big on Borussia Dortmund midfielder Jude Bellingham in the next window.
With Firmino having been a reliable servant for the Reds, there are various suggestions that he has attracted interest from outside of Europe as well, including his native Brazil, although he is yet to make any decision on where he will be playing next season.
Speaking to ESPN Brasil after the Merseysiders' 2-2 draw with Arsenal on the weekend, the centre-forward confirmed that his time in Merseyside was over, saying: "I won't say much, because otherwise I'll get emotional.
"Because it's a beautiful legacy with a beautiful history, at such a big club. I'm very happy and grateful to God for everything we have built here. But it's a new situation for me, I've never been through it.
"I've been praying a lot for God to keep me and help me in this process. I'm working hard, always ready to help the team, and we're together until the end. I want to finish well here with my teammates."
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