Rodrygo is getting closer to leaving Real Madrid, but his destination could change radically from what was initially planned. Arsenal has been after the player for months, but has started looking for other alternatives, which could indicate that it is giving up on the Brazilian, who has two other suitors waiting for the transfer window to open for a player who has a price tag of €100 million.
The last few months have led to the exit door
No one could have imagined just a few months ago that Rodrygo would leave Real Madrid, but his season, especially the final stretch, has led to the only solution being to part ways with the Whites. The Brazilian has been important to the club, but this season, and more specifically since April, his contribution to the team has been practically nil, as was evident in the Club World Cup, where Xabi Alonso gave him a chance he failed to take.
Before the tournament, his last game had been on April 26 in the Copa del Rey final against FC Barcelona. He played the first 45 minutes, and Carlo Ancelotti had no choice but to take him off at halftime after his embarrassing performance. It was a bad game that sparked criticism that the Brazilian was unable to handle, as he did not play another minute after that due to an injury that was not reported by the medical staff.
With the arrival of the new coach, the manager tried to pamper the player and make him feel confident. He put him in the starting lineup against Al Hilal in the first game of the tournament, but the result was disastrous. He was very passive, waiting for the ball to come to him and not helping the team with pressure and defensive duties. From then on, he was never a starter again, not even playing a single minute in several games, including the last one against PSG.
Non-negotiable price
The door is open, although the final decision rests with the player. What Real Madrid is clear about is that even though Xabi Alonso does not count on him, they will not get rid of the player at any price. Florentino does not want to sell the player for less than €100 million. There was speculation that if the offer was above €80 million, it would be enough, but the club wants, one way or another, to get €100 million for the striker’s departure.
Arsenal sets other targets
Arsenal has always been the main candidate to sign the player and pay that price for him. Rodrygo is very much to Mikel Arteta’s liking, and the London club is willing to make a big investment… or at least it was, because in the last few hours it has become known that the English club has other priority targets in the market that will also require a large investment, so the signing of Rodrygo could fall through. According to Cadena SER journalist Antón Meana, the English club has focused its efforts on signing Noni Madueke and Viktor Gyökeres.
Two suitors in the running
Although Arsenal may fade as an option, Rodrygo still has alternatives to leave the Whites. The team showing the most interest in recent days is another Premier League side, Liverpool. According to the newspaper As, both the English team and Bayern Munich are in the running for the player. The German team sees him as an ideal alternative to Luis Díaz, whose situation is becoming complicated. “Unlike with Luis Díaz, they would be willing to offer Real Madrid around €100 million for the Brazilian. This is the amount budgeted at the start of the transfer window for Florian Wirtz, first, and Nico Williams, later. However, Bayern will only enter the bidding once they see that signing the Colombian is impossible,” explains the newspaper.