Arsenal transfer target Rodrygo drops hint on his future after first meeting with Xabi Alonso

Arsenal transfer target Rodrygo has dropped a hint on his Real Madrid future after his first meeting with his new manager Xabi Alonso.

The Brazil international endured a difficult end to last season when his relationship with Carlo Ancelotti appeared to have soured.

Rodrygo didn’t feature at all in the Copa Del Rey final against Barcelona and was subsequently forced to dismiss speculation that he had decided he had already played his last match for Real.

That public declaration has done little to quell the rumours that the 24-year-old is considering a change of clubs this summer.

Arsenal are in the market for a wide forward and are reported to be the club most likely to make a significant bid for Rodrygo should Real be open to a sale.

Chelsea, as well as several clubs in Saudi Arabia, are also monitoring Rodrygo’s situation but Marca claim he is currently happy at the club he joined as a teenager back in 2019 after talks with Alonso.

It remains to be seen whether or not he features prominently in Alonso’s plans but reports in Spain on Wednesday claimed he was unlikely to feature in the Spaniard’s ideal starting XI for next season.

Rodrygo will get an early chance to impress the former Bayer Leverkusen boss in the coming weeks at the Club World Cup where he is set to feature prominently.

Arsenal, meanwhile, will hope for change of heart from a player Mikel Arteta is keen on signing but in the meantime are likely to press ahead with their efforts to recruit a new centre forward.

Benjamin Sesko appears to be the Gunners’ first choice but they are maintaining an interest in Sporting Lisbon’s Viktor Gyokeres whose relationship with the Portuguese club is deteriorating.

Martin Zubimendi, meanwhile, is likely to join in July ahead of pre-season, despite late interest from Real, and Kepa Arrizabalaga will sign from Chelsea to compete with David Raya for the No.1 spot.

Arsenal also hope to retain the services of experienced midfielder Thomas Partey, but the Ghana international is currently out of contract and is yet to sign the new deal he has been offered.

Asked if Zubimendi’s imminent arrival was playing on his mind, he told 3 Sports: ‘I think the first thing is where are you happy and wher do you feel at home. At the end of the day you’ve been in football, you’ve been in different teams.

‘Then it’s about what is your next objective what do you want to achieve next. You still have to look at all this and at the end of the day we all have a family that needs money, this is our mind.

‘We are not getting younger. There are a lot of things where you have to look now with a family, where you want them to be happy. When you go out nobody is going to destroy your family, these are things you have to look at. When you are young you just anywhere.

‘I’m an Arsenal fan, I can’t decide anything and just have to leave it to may agent and the club. Me, I just want to enjoy football.’