24 January 2023 , 13:20
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Rafaela Pimenta, the agent who succeeded the late Mino Raiola, has been spotted at Anfield after Jurgen Klopp promised to stay with Liverpool and help the club's rebuild.
Pimenta, a Brazilian lawyer, has been dubbed the most influential woman in football after taking on Raiola's stable of clients following his tragic passing in April of last year due to a lung illness. While she boasts megastars such as Erling Haaland and Paul Pogba on her books, Raiola's former confidant also represents reported Liverpool transfer target Ryan Gravenberch.
Her Instagram story at the Reds' famous stadium, posted on Saturday ahead of Liverpool's dour 0-0 draw with rivals Chelsea, has prompted fans to speculate over the reason why she was on Merseyside. With the January transfer window open for another week, midfielder Gravenberch has been linked with a loan move to Anfield after struggling for game-time during his first season in Munich.
Jurgen Klopp wants to stay and rebuild Liverpool (LFC TV)Fresh reports from Sky Germany on Tuesday, however, suggest that the 20-year-old Dutchman - formerly of Ajax until last June - will be staying put, and his agent's visit might just have been a friendly jaunt to watch two Premier League giants slug it out. Nevertheless, supporters will be pleased to learn that Pimenta - who'll no-doubt be busy before deadline day - also represents a number of clients who Liverpool could assess as part of Klopp's aforementioned rebuild.
Mostly based on the continent, the likes of Paris Saint-Germain duo Marco Verratti and Gianluigi Donnarumma work with the Brazilian agent to illustrate how star names trust her after Raiola's tragic passing, aged 54. As Gravenberch's potential loan alludes to, a new midfielder is Liverpool's priority ahead what promises to be a seismic summer transfer window at Anfield, and Pimenta has plenty of clients who fit the bill.
Klopp's dream Liverpool line up as last-gasp January transfers rejected
Returning Juventus playmaker Pogba won't likely be coming anywhere near Merseyside and Verratti is an outside shout, but PSV Eindhoven wonderkid Xavi Simons is a player who possesses elite-level potential and has been links with a host of European heavyweights. Perhaps a backup right-back would suit Klopp, too, with Denzel Dumfries and Noussair Mazraoui on her books.
Rafaela Pimenta posted an image herself at Anfield on Saturday (Rafaela Pimenta on Instagram)
Ryan Gravenberch has been tipped to join Liverpool on loan (Roland Krivec/DeFodi Images via Getty Images)Have your say! Who should Liverpool look to sign? Join the debate in the comments section.
Dumfries has been linked to Manchester United of late, signalling that the Netherlands international may well be available. It's still unlikely that Liverpool will make any moves this month, but forging a good relationship with Pimenta will only help in the long term.
One thing is for certain, Liverpool are planning to be in the market over the summer - new owners or not. With the Reds inviting offers for investment or a full takeover since November, Klopp is looking towards a new era at Anfield and has vowed to stick with the club through a potentially tumultuous period.
"At Borussia Dortmund, it was clear when I left, I said 'something has to change here'. It is a different situation," the German explained earlier this month. "Either the manager's position changes or a lot of other things change. So, as far as I am concerned unless someone tells me, I will not go.
"So that means maybe there is a point where we have to change other stuff. We will see that, but that is something for the future. Like summer or whatever. Not now. I have space and time to think about it, we have to play better football now."