Arsenal aren’t just on the hunt for a new striker this summer and new sporting director Andrea Berta is spinning several plates right now.
It’s believed that Arsenal have a significant amount of transfer funds available in the coming months, of which a sizeable amount is already committed to signing Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad.
Zubimendi’s arrival is excellent work by Arsenal, but it’s a deal that Edu Gaspar and Jason Ayto deserve most of the credit for — it was mostly agreed before Andrea Berta arrived.
Therefore, Berta will predominantly be judged on the elite striker and left winger Arsenal are able to recruit this summer.
And although it may look overly ambitious to some, Arsenal want to sign Rodrygo from Real Madrid for their left wing, a deal that’s looking increasingly possible by the day.
Real Madrid might be willing to sell Rodrygo to Arsenal
Right now, Arsenal are waiting to find out how Rodrygo settles under new Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso, a saga which will be on display at the Club World Cup.
In an odd situation, Arsenal fans will need to hope that Rodrygo cuts a frustrated figure at the tournament — they essentially need their top transfer target to have a bad time.
Rodrygo during Real Madrid's clash with Al-Hilal at the Club World Cup.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
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But even before the conclusion of the Club World Cup, there is good news for Arsenal fans, with Mirror Sport now reporting that Real may be willing to sell Rodrygo this summer.
According to the report, Berta has held talks with a number of top clubs and agents and there’s a genuine ‘belief’ that Real will be ready to discuss a deal for Rodrygo to leave.
Real are likely to demand more than £70m for their star winger who would join Arsenal as one of the club’s top earners.
But if Arsenal are able to sign a player of his calibre, that’s unlikely to be a concern.
Rodrygo plays zero minutes in Real Madrid’s win over Pachuca
As mentioned, Arsenal fans who want Rodrygo to head to the Emirates need to somewhat hope that he has a bad time with Real at the Club World Cup.
And after Rodrygo’s struggles against Al-Hilal, the winger failed to play a single minute in Sunday’s 3-1 win over Mexican side Pachuca.
Alonso chose to play Arda Guler ahead of Rodrygo in attack, and the Spaniard is thought to be a huge fan of the 20-year-old.
Admittedly Real did pick up an early red card which may have prevented attacking substitutions, but if Rodrygo was unhappy because of his squad role last season, it doesn’t necessarily seem as if things are improving.
And from the outside looking in, it’s looking more and more realistic that Arsenal could repeat their Mesut Ozil trick in signing Rodrygo from the Spanish capital.