Arsenal can complete Rodrygo transfer after £87.5m Real Madrid green light

Arsenal completing a deal to sign Rodrygo in the summer transfer window would be something of a statement signing.

The forward is reportedly on the market this summer, although rumours of a rift in the camp at the Santiago Bernabeu have been quashed by the player himself.

Taking to social media, Rodrygo said: “Thank you for all your messages and concerns. I’ll be back soon. Stop making things up.”

The Brazilian was absent from two Real Madrid squads of late, missing the Copa del Rey final defeat to Barcelona and the win over Celta Vigo in La Liga. He was named in the squad for El Clasico on Sunday. However, he was an unused substitute in the big match.

It has since emerged, however, that Rodrygo has been carrying a knock. His social media post appeared to be taken in a recovery chamber, with head coach Carlo Ancelotti saying after the Celta clash: “Rodrygo has discomfort in his leg. He’s sad for that, but there’s really nothing more.

“He had [a] fever and didn’t train last week so he wasn’t fit. He felt uncomfortable and we wanted to look at it. Everyone loves Rodrygo, especially me.”

Rodrygo may have poured cold water on any rumours of a move away from the Spanish capital, but with a new manager coming in in the form of Xabi Alonso, who knows what plans the former Liverpool midfielder will have for the players in his squad?

Were Arsenal to make a move for the 24-year-old Jude Bellingham described as the “most gifted” player in the Real Madrid squad, they may well have an advantage over other Premier League clubs, like Manchester City, when making their move.

The Gunners will be desperate to sign a new forward in the summer transfer window, with injuries to Kai Havertz and Gabriel Jesus hitting them hard in the second half of the season.

Rodrygo can play across the frontline, but it more often utilised on the wing, with Arsenal more in need of a centre-forward. However, if a player of Rodrygo’s talent were to come on the market, you could not turn him down.

Arsenal have had plenty of dealings with Real Madrid in the past and would seemingly have a good relationship with Los Blancos when it comes to signing players from the Spanish capital.

In just over a decade, three players have made the move to the Emirates Stadium from the Bernabeu – proving the relationship that exists between the two clubs. And two of those signings have gone on to become stars in north London.

In 2013 Arsenal made the £42.5million move to sign Mesut Ozil from Real and he would go on to become a firm fans’ favourite in north London.

Ozil is in the top 40 assist-makers of all-time in the Premier League after eight seasons with the Gunners and helped the side win four FA Cups during his time at the Emirates Stadium.

Dani Ceballos was the next to make the move to north London from Madrid, albeit for two seasons on loan from 2019 to 2021. Arsenal would pay a reported £15million for the loan deals and while Ceballos would play 49 times for the Gunners, it was not the success he or the club would have wanted.

After Ceballos went back to Madrid, Arsenal also went back to Los Blancos to make another signing – Martin Odegaard for £30million. And the Norwegian is fast becoming a club legend. He is the Gunners’ captain and was named player of the season in north London two years in a row in 2022/23 and 2023/24.

Arsenal have therefore splashed out £87.5million on three players from Real Madrid in the recent past and were Rodrygo to become available you could legitimately expect the Gunners to enjoy a better negotiating practise with Real than other clubs.