Rodrygo wants to fight for Real Madrid place despite strong Arsenal interest

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·11 Juli 2025

Rodrygo wants to fight for Real Madrid place despite strong Arsenal interest

Arsenal face another setback in their bid to land Real Madrid star Rodrygo.

According to Spanish news outlet SPORT, the Brazilian forward wants to stay at Madrid and fight for his place under new manager Xabi Alonso.

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Arsenal are in the market for a new left winger, and Rodrygo is a dream target.

However, the Gunners will have to pay more than £86 million to lure him away from the Santiago Bernabeu, especially with three years left on his contract.

The 24-year-old was once considered the crown jewel of the Los Blancos squad and was untouchable despite being forced to play out of position.

It now seems like the cracks are starting to appear as the 15-time European Champions embark on a new era under Alonso’s leadership.

While Rodrygo has been played out of position over the years, he’s not used to being on the fringes.

Since Alonso came in, he has struggled to get a look in. The Spanish manager has preferred Arda Guler and academy graduate Gonzalo Garcia.

Rodrygo’s situation has sparked interest from the Premier League. He has been linked with a move to Manchester City, but Arsenal are showing the most interest.

However, the Brazilian isn’t ready to give up on his career at Madrid yet.

Rodrygo had limited opportunities at the 2025 Club World Cup. He started the opening game against Al-Hilal and got an assist, but his overall performance didn’t impress Alonso.

He was taken off just after the hour mark, and things went downhill from there.

Rodrygo was only handed brief cameos against RB Salzburg and Borussia Dortmund. He was an unused substitute in the 4-0 thrashing against Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals.

Alonso hasn’t definitively ruled Rodrygo out of his long-term plans, but his lack of game time at the Club World Cup speaks volumes.

Despite his struggles, sources close to Rodrygo suggest he’s not looking for an exit. He wants to stay at the club and win back his place, although Arsenal aren’t throwing in the towel.