At Real Madrid, there are several uncertainties regarding the future of several players on the squad. The spotlight is on Rodrygo, who no longer seems to be the same player who dazzled the Santiago Bernabéu. The Brazilian is having his worst season with the white shirt and the club is considering that the best option could be a departure and is open to offers as long as they are above $80 million. However, they have always been clear that they will not force the player to leave if he does not want to.
Rodrygo is not there and is not expected to be
Rodrygo is not there. The Brazilian player is going through his worst days in a white shirt in a season where his performance has been much lower than expected and he has been absent. Absent because he has not played during the last part of the competition and absent because on the pitch he is not active, involved, committed in defense or scoring goals.
He does not contribute to the team, and Xabi Alonso has made this clear in the last few Club World Cup matches. The player has been absent from the team since the Copa del Rey final against Barça, where his 45 minutes were forgettable and he contributed nothing.
With the arrival of Xabi Alonso, he wanted to pamper Rodrygo and kept an eye on him, giving him confidence by starting him in the first match of the World Cup against Al Hilal and… more of the same. He remained on the bench against Pachuca and has not returned to the starting lineup, although he has had a few isolated minutes in which he has continued to underperform, which opens the door for his departure.
Rodrygo’s decision
Rodrygo wants to stay at Real Madrid, but he does not want to play a secondary role, especially in a World Cup season. He knows he will have a lot of competition, especially with the rise of Gonzalo García and the arrival of Mastantuono. The player has not convinced Xabi Alonso and it is clear that he will have a secondary role in the team, which will not be enough to convince Carlo Ancelotti.
So although his idea is to stay, the club is opening the door for him and he sees that the best thing for him may be to leave.
Candidates and asking price
Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal is the most interested in signing the player and is even willing to put 90 million on the table. Chelsea, in the Club World Cup final, is monitoring the player’s situation and is not the only one. Sky Sports reports that Al Nassr, Cristiano Ronaldo’s team, has already begun to contact his entourage. On the other hand, ESPN Brazil points to Arsenal and Manchester City in the Premier League, and Paris Saint-Germain has also taken action.
Rodrygo’s replacement
According to Mario Cortegana, the club will not replace the Brazilian with another player. They believe that the arrival of Franco Mastantuono can perfectly fill the gap left by Rodrygo Goes. In addition, in recent days it has become known that although the club was considering loaning Endrick out so that he could enjoy the playing time he is not getting at Real Madrid and which he needs to grow, the player is sticking to his contract and Xabi Alonso has a plan.
After several training sessions together, Xabi Alonso sees Endrick as a player who can cover the right wing at Real Madrid, according to Jorge Picón. The Brazilian striker seems to have lost his place as substitute striker to Gonzalo García, but he could fill the gap left by a hypothetical departure of Rodrygo.