• Elano says he blocked 2017 deal when working as Santos coach
  • Real Madrid agreed to buy Rodrygo for €45m one year later

Liverpool were close to signing Rodrygo for €3m in 2017, a year before Real Madrid struck a deal to sign the Brazil forward for 15 times that amount, the Guardian has been told.
The former Brazil and Manchester City midfielder Elano has said he convinced the then Santos president, Modesto Roma Júnior, to abandon plans to sell Rodrygo to Liverpool at that price. Elano was working as an assistant coach at Santos and a 16-year-old Rodrygo was yet to make his first-team debut.
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