While Liverpool have been linked this month, there is one club on Merseyside reportedly in talks to bring one of the Bundesliga’s rising stars over to the English Premier League.
And it’s not Arne Slot’s runaway leaders.
Despite boasting perhaps the most well-balanced midfield set-up in European football right now – the athleticism of Dominik Szoboszlai a perfect foil for Ryan Gravenberch’s style and Alexis Mac Allister’s silk – Liverpool are reportedly in the market for another.
According to Bild, Liverpool have joined Crystal Palace and Newcastle United in tracking Merlin Rohl of Champions League-chasing SC Freiburg ahead of the summer transfer window.
A Germany Under-21 international renowned for his Gravenberch-esque elegance in possession – a 6ft 3ins frame coupled with a smoothness of movement – 22-year-old Rohl is one of the main reasons why perennial overachievers Freiburg are heading into the run-in above Borussias Dortmund and Monchengladbach in the Bundesliga table.
Yet, according to another German publication in Kicker, one team based in Stanley Park have already opened up discussions with Rohl’s representatives. If not The Reds, you can probably guess which one.
Liverpool target Merlin Rohl has been in talks with Everton already
Everton, the report says, have spoken to the midfielder’s camp.
David Moyes, having returned to Goodison Park for a second spell this year, came up against Rohl no fewer than four times in the Europa League while in the West Ham United dugout. And, clearly, a tall, rangy but balletic midfielder often likened to Bayern Munich powerhouse Leon Goretzka made a positive impression on the veteran Scot.
Kicker add that Freiburg are looking for a fee of around £23 million and above, clear of the fee Brentford paid to sign speedy winger Kevin Schade. That would make Rohl their biggest-ever export.
Of course, while Everton have made the first move, one suspects that an opportunity to represent the newly-crowned Premier League champions on the other half of the Merseyside divide could yet blow The Toffees out of the water. Presuming, of course, that Liverpool plan to turn their initial interest into something a little more concrete.
“Merlin is taking big strides,” legendary former Freiburg coach Christian Streich says of Rohl. “He’s got pace, great movement. He can be a real difference-maker.”
“Merlin’s the complete midfielder,” adds Tomas Oral, who coached Rohl at Ingolstadt earlier in his young career. “He can do it defensively and offensively.”
Bundesliga ace Rohl reminiscent of Anfield favourite Ryan Gravenberch
As mentioned previously, there is a Gravenberch sort of quality in the way Rohl picks up possession and drives forwards, using his telescopic legs to very good use while striding away from opposition midfielders. The fabulous solo goal he scored against RB Leipzig a year ago being the perfect case in point.
“A rangy central midfielder with good feet, an eye for a pass and the opposition goal,” explain the official Bundesliga website, labelling him the magic-conjuring ‘wizard’ of this Freiburg team. “Rohl has a similar profile to Bayern Munich and Germany man Leon Goretzka.”
As for Gravenberch, while his agent feels that Liverpool’s in-form Dutchman is ‘good enough for Real Madrid’ these days, The Reds are under absolutely no pressure to listen to offers with his contract running until 2028.
Rohl will not be viewed as a potential replacement, but as someone capable of supplementing Gravenberch and adding depth to Slot’s squad.
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