Xabi Alonso makes shock decision on Rodrygo's Real Madrid future amid talk of £70m transfer to Arsenal

The Athletic reports that the newly-appointed Los Blancos will not stand in the way of the 24-year-old if he wants to leave, and the club's valuation is met. Key players in Rodrygo's camp, most notably his father and agent Eric Goes, are said to be unhappy with the player's current circumstances, as he has been sidelined by the high-profile trio of Kylian Mbappe, Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham.

A long-time starter under Carlo Ancelotti, Rodrygo seemingly slipped down the pecking order towards the end of last season, as sources close to the club suggested the Brazilian lacked motivation in training. When contacted by The Athletic, Real Madrid said "they have no intention of selling the player, and they expect him to contribute a lot to the team in the future."

Rodrygo joined Real Madrid from Santos in 2019 for a €40m fee. A regular starter since 2021, the player has been forced to operate from the right side of an attacking three, with Mbappe, Vinicius and Rodrygo all favour occupying the left flank. Arsenal are interested in the player to fill the left side of their attack,while a move to PSG has also been floated in the past 24 hours. It is believed Los Blancos value Rodrygo at around £70m (€81m).

Real Madrid's Club World Cup campaign continues with a quarter final tie against Borussia Dortmund. Rodrygo was an unused substitute in the round of 16 fixture against Juventus, and has only featured in the final group game against Al-Hilal. Granted, the 24 year-old has been carrying an injury, but it has not been a busy start to life under Alonso. Could that be a harbinger of a move away from the Spanish capital?