Rodrygo to Arsenal transfer hope explained as Real Madrid plan already underway

Arsenal have been handed fresh insight into Real Madrid's plans around selling winger Rodrygo during the 2025 summer transfer window, and it could spell good news.

Mikel Arteta has been strongly linked with the winger, who has played back in the manager's homeland with Los Blancos since 2017. The 24 year old has made 270 appearances for Real Madrid, with 68 goals scored and 51 assists provided.

Rodrygo has experience of winning three La Liga titles and two Champions League trophies as part of 12 major honours, the kind that could translate perfectly into a team aiming to break their duck as England's runners-up for the past three years.

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But limited game time towards the end of Carlo Ancelotti's time as Real manager last season has seen a rise in speculation over the Brazilian's place in the squad.

His situation has not improved much under new boss Xabi Alonso either, with only one out of five possible starts made at this summer's FIFA Club World Cup. In the other four matches he has made two cameos and been forced to watch from the bench twice.

As the player and Real's focus rests on that tournament there have been few definitive updates in the saga in recent weeks though with it coming to an end this week, Arsenal might be able to take the latest information forward with a glimmer of hope.

The Athletic believe that were Rodrygo's imminent departure from the Santiago Bernabeu to be sanctioned, at present his club have no plans to sign a replacement.

Again, Real's focus has been on winning the Club World Cup as they currently prepare to play Paris Saint-Germain in the semi-finals. A plan may emerge yet.

But then it is explained how Real may already have acted to bring in a player to take Rodrygo's place in the squad. Before the tournament in the United States began, they confirmed the signing of River Plate prospect Franco Mastantuono in a €60m (£51m) deal.

The winger is set to join Alonso's group on August 14, when he turns 18. Real also feel Brahim Diaz and Arda Guler, two players already with the club, can fill in the position too.

So Arsenal could actually be looking at a situation where the selling club are well-stocked and amenable to selling Rodrygo, a player who could elevate Arteta's attack force for the 2025/26 campaign, in part because they have recruited their next young star earlier in the summer.

Still, this does not mean Rodrygo will decide to leave the club he has called home and where success has come frequently.

Also linked with rivals PSG and Manchester City, former Brazilian international Felipe Melo has advised him to stay put.

"Rodrygo is a star. He's a regular in the Brazilian national team.

"I've seen interviews with teammates like [Jude] Bellingham, and even other players, who said Rodrygo has the most talent. We have to be patient because a new coach has arrived, and that means a lot of things will change.

"It's always better for him to stay at Real Madrid. But he's also won a lot of things at Madrid, and I don't know if he'll move to play for another team because it's a World Cup year.

"It's something he has to decide because there's a World Cup, and it's important for him, and even more so for Brazil, that he's in the World Cup."