The Rodrygo transfer saga is now seemingly coming to an end as the 2 remaining contenders, Arsenal and Man City, are solidifying their positions. Rodrygo has been linked with Liverpool, Arsenal and Man City over the course of the summer. However, Liverpool backed out to focus on the signing of Alexander Isak. That left Arsenal and Man City battling for the Brazilian’s signature. Now, Arsenal may be in pole position to sign the winger.
Rodrygo, who is still valued by Real Madrid, was given the freedom to leave the club following the appointment of Xabi Alonso as head coach. The player has suffered from a lack of game time, owing to the intense competition for his position. Now, with him out of Alonso’s plans, a transfer away from Madrid is a real possibility.
Rodrygo preferred City over Arsenal
Rodrygo reportedly admires City’s head Coach, Pep Guardiola. Furthermore, he has a liking towards Pep’s City. He showcased his admiration by openly claiming that Man City were the best team in the world in 2024. While Arsenal were never out of the equation, Rodrygo’s liking towards City gave the Manchester club an advantage over them.
City losing Jack Grealish on loan and Savinho’s transfer to Spurs looking extremely likely, strengthened the links to Rodrygo, as they would’ve had to capture his signing out of necessity. Moreover, Pep is a fan of the player and was pushing his board to sign him. All the signs pointed towards City being in pole position to sign the forward. However, there has reportedly been a U-turn, and Arsenal are now leading the race.
Arsenal overtake City
Arsenal’s lead in the race to sign Rodrygo comes as a result of City’s decision to block the Savinho transfer. Savinho’s transfer to Spurs looked likely to happen. However, recent reports suggest that the deal is on the verge of collapsing. Pep Guardiola is seemingly unwilling to lose the ex-Girona winger, and would like to keep him for one more season at the least. While the board does not oppose a sale, it would not go against Pep’s wishes.
With Savinho staying put, the chances of City splashing their cash on Rodrygo decrease considerably. City have Savinho, Doku, Marmoush, Cherki, Foden and Oscar Bobb as winger options. Considering they have such good depth, they may not go for Rodrygo.
The chances of Rodrygo signing for City died down even more as more reports suggest that Pep is looking to reduce the size of his squad. The Catalan’s focus shifting towards reducing squad size suggests that he is not looking for any more signings. Therefore, it is unlikely that City will go for Rodrygo this summer.
What next for Rodrygo and Arsenal
City’s decision has given Arsenal a massive boost in their effort to sign Rodrygo. Journalist Guillem Balague reports that Madrid’s asking price of £87 million could be reduced to around £52 million when they approach deadline day. This is ideal for Arsenal, who are currently focusing on sales to generate funds and PSR compliance. After dealing with the sales of Oleksandr Zinchenko, Fabio Vieira and other fringe players, Andrea Berta may just be able to convince Rodrygo and get the deal over the line this window.
Although Arsenal are now the best placed to sign Rodrygo if he leaves, whether he stays or leaves is still in doubt. While it’s true that both Real Madrid and Rodrygo are open to a sale, Rodrygo staying and fighting for his place is a very possible scenario. After all, Rodrygo has always mentioned that he likes it at the club with whom he was a Champions League winner twice.