Why Arsenal’s £17.5m wonderkid gamble could be one of 2026’s most intriguing transfersplaceholder image
Why Arsenal’s £17.5m wonderkid gamble could be one of 2026’s most intriguing transfers | Getty Images
Arsenal have been linked with a transfer bid for Elche wonderkid Rodrigo Mendoza - but how would he fit into Mikel Arteta’s system?
Arsenal may largely be focussed on taking advantage of a gilt-edged chance to win the Premier League for the first time in over two decades, but it seems as though they’re keeping one eye on the future at the same time – judging, at least, by recent stories linking them with a bid for Spanish wonderkid Rodrigo Mendoza.
The Daily Telegraph reported this week that Arsenal are “tracking” Mendoza and that while they may face competition from Real Madrid and others, the 20-year-old Elche midfielder has become one of their primary targets as they work to future-proof their midfield. But why are Arsenal so interested in Mendoza, and why would signing him represent an intriguing gamble by the Gunners?
Why Arsenal are interested in signing Rodrigo Mendoza
Mendoza, a Spain Under-21 international who has worked his way through the age groups for his country and who already has two full seasons of senior football under his belt with Elche, is a dynamic central midfielder blessed with impressive technique and a silken first touch.
Although not yet entirely a regular starter – half of his 61 professional appearances to date have come from the bench – he has impressed in La Liga already following his side’s promotion last year, scoring against Levante and playing well against Barcelona. He doesn’t yet impose himself on games as the best midfielders do, but his abundant natural quality has been evident, hence the interest from Arsenal and Real.
His ball-carrying is his best attribute. Between a graceful touch, fast feet and the ability to dribble at speed without losing the ball from under his stride, his highlight reels are full of sudden surges past defenders and opposing midfielders left sprawling on the turf or turned inside out by a quick change of direction.
That ability to get the ball from one end of the field to the other quickly, reliably and skilfully is much in demand in an era when the tactical paradigm tends towards direct attacking play against compact opposition. Players who can break the lines by themselves to spark attacks and get in behind defences will always be popular.
Mendoza doesn’t sound likely to be especially expensive, either, at least by the standards of wealthy teams like Arsenal – he reportedly has a release clause in his Elche contract worth €20m (£17.5m). That’s only a little more than another young midfielder that Arsenal were keen on, Sverre Nypan, cost Manchester City over the summer when they pipped the Gunners to his purchase, and it certainly doesn’t seem to be a fee which Arsenal are likely to balk at.
The same will hold true for other clubs, of course, and the Telegraph’s reporting doesn’t go further than saying that he is a player being closely monitored by sporting director Andrea Berta and his recruitment team. There is every chance that another side ends up being the one to take a chance on Mendoza over the course of 2026 – and it would be a chance, especially given the way Arsenal set up under Mikel Arteta. Mendoza is a huge talent, but not a sure thing.
Why Arsenal would be taking a gamble by buying Mendoza
While there is no doubt about Mendoza’s talent, there are reasonable questions about both his productivity and impact on matches and on how he might fit into Arteta’s system.
Although a superb dribbler, Mendoza is yet to develop into either a significant threat in the final third or to build his game out of possession to a point at which he would be effective as a box-to-box player at the highest level.
With a rather slight and spidery frame, Mendoza is not especially strong and while he shows good judgement when defending, he isn’t a player who forces especially high numbers of turnovers or makes many tackles. Compared to players like Declan Rice and Martín Zubimendi, he lacks the ability to impact the game off the ball, a necessity to operate as a box-to-box midfielder.
Equally, his ability to take a player on and leave them trailing behind him could make him an excellent number 10, but his final ball needs work and he isn’t a frequent goalscorer. In those 61 senior matches, he has scored six times and provided just two assists. Given his ability to work his way into dangerous positions, that’s a relatively poor return.
Mendoza is currently something of a positional inbetweener, and to function in a 4-2-3-1 system would either need to develop his finishing and passing or his tackling and defensive positioning. Either is eminently possible, of course, but there is work to be done and given that he will turn 21 this season, he is far enough along his career path that it’s reasonable to question how far he can go in either department.
There is a chance that Mendoza ends up as an immensely gifted player who lacks the all-round game to fit into a defined role, and also a chance that he is vulnerable in midfield against some of the Premier League’s more physical teams. One can’t help but think a little of Charlie Patiño, a former Arsenal prodigy with superb technique but who was lacking too much in other departments to build the career that many pundits expected.
Mendoza is already further along the road towards a top-level career than Patiño ever got, of course, but he isn’t consistently effective or able to influence games as a player with his talent might hope to – but there is also plenty of time for him to grow and to find his niche. The class is there, and his development will be very interesting to watch, whether that’s at the Emirates or elsewhere.
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