Celtic are among the clubs keeping tabs on a current La Liga striker.
Álvaro Rodríguez only joined Elche on a permanent deal from Real Madrid last summer, but his performances in Spain’s top flight have already sparked interest ahead of the transfer window.
According to TuttoMercatoWeb journalist Pietro Celeste, Bologna are assessing a move for Rodríguez as they weigh up attacking reinforcements. The Italian side are the latest club to be linked, with AFC Bournemouth also credited with an interest alongside Celtic.
🚨Il #Bologna valuta Alvaro #Rodriguez, attaccante mancino classe 2004 del #RealMadrid. Nell’ultima stagione protagonista con #Elche con 7 reti e 5 assist (193 centimetri). Concorrenza con #Celtic, #Bournemouth (su #Lucumì), #Ajax e #Feyenoord.#Bolognafc #calciomercato pic.twitter.com/V3SvMFzpRc
— Pietro Celeste (@PietroCeleste01) June 16, 2026
Rodríguez finished the season with seven goals and five assists from 34 league appearances. On the surface, those numbers do not immediately jump off the page, but they tell only part of the story.
The 21-year-old had a direct hand in 24.4% of Elche’s league goals during the campaign, underlining his importance to the side despite his age and relative lack of top-flight experience.
That contribution has not gone unnoticed.
Elche secured Rodríguez permanently from Real Madrid in July 2025, but the Spanish giants retained 50% of his rights as part of the agreement. That arrangement could play a significant role in any negotiations this summer.
With Real Madrid due a sizeable share of any future transfer fee, Elche will be looking to maximise their return if they decide to cash in on one of their most valuable assets.
The striker is under contract until 2029, putting Elche in a strong position and removing any immediate pressure to sell. Transfermarkt currently value Rodríguez at €10 million, although interest from multiple clubs could push any eventual fee higher.
Celtic’s search for attacking reinforcements is one of several areas they’ll need to strengthen this summer, and Rodríguez fits the profile of a younger player with room to develop while already proving he can contribute at a high level.
Whether that interest develops into something more concrete remains to be seen over the coming weeks, but Celtic are unlikely to get a clear run at the forward.
With Premier League money, Serie A interest and Real Madrid still financially invested in his future, any move for Rodríguez looks set to be far from straightforward.
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