Manchester City are now one of several clubs to be contacted about Real Madrid winger Rodrygo, a player who is top of Arsenal’s shortlist this summer.
Since the arrival of Kylian Mbappe at Real Madrid last year, Rodrygo’s role at the Santiago Bernabeu has diminished somewhat.
The Brazilian was still an important player under Carlo Ancelotti but he was no longer mentioned in the same breath as Vinicius Junior and even Jude Bellingham.
And unfortunately for Rodrygo, things haven’t necessarily improved under new manager Xabi Alonso so far, who seems to favour young superstar Arda Guler.
That being said, Rodrygo is Arsenal’s dream target for their left wing this summer, and after the club complete a deal to sign Sporting CP’s Viktor Gyokeres, the Brazilian might become the north Londoners’ focus.
However, TBR Football can now confirm that Rodrygo’s intermediaries have now been in discussions with several other clubs, including Man City.
In the past, Rodrygo called Man City the best team in the world, comments Arsenal fans might not enjoy reading right now.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
READ MORE: When Arsenal expect to sign Viktor Gyokeres and how much the striker will earn after £65m move
And whilst Arsenal can still be considered the most serious contenders for Rodrygo right now, other top clubs across Europe are now being put on alert.
Chief correspondent Graeme Bailey understands that City, Chelsea, Liverpool, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich and others have been contacted about Rodrygo, informing them of his likely availability.
But these talks are more a means of gauging the interest in the market right now — the likes of City shouldn’t be a concern to Arsenal just yet when it comes to Rodrygo.
Carlo Ancelotti once claimed Rodrygo was a ‘special striker’
Part of Arsenal’s Rodrygo appeal is their plans to play the 24-year-old as a left winger, if they are lucky enough to welcome him to the Emirates.
Rodrygo is frustrated with his situation at Real Madrid, and he would like to play on the left if it were solely up to him.
But interestingly, when speaking in 2022 towards the earlier stages of Rodrygo’s time in Spain, Ancelotti actually called the Brazilian a ‘special striker’.
Ancelotti was clearly in awe of Rodrygo’s versatility, perhaps explaining why Man City should press on with interest of their own this summer.
He said: “He is a special striker, he can play in all positions. He is fast, smart and effective one on one. The learning is over. He is a Real Madrid player for all purposes.”
An exceptional talent, and the kind of player who doesn’t appear on the market too often.