New Real Madrid boss Xabi Alonso has seemingly made his decision on the future of one of the club's stars now deemed surplus to requirements.
It comes after Los Blancos were humbled in the Club World Cup, losing 4-0 to PSG in the semi finals. A final against Chelsea now awaits the Parisians.
Licking their wounds, it seems that new Real manager Alonso has called time on one of his players who has already been heavily linked with a move away from the La Liga giants; both Arsenal and Liverpool are reportedly interested in the versatile forward.
And while Rodrygo was previously a key man for Los Blancos, the arrival of Kylian Mbappe last summer saw the 24-year-old drop down the Bernabeu pecking order. Rodrygo started just 22 league games under Carlo Ancelotti last season, though he still managed six goals and five assists.
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Ancelotti exit heightened Rodrygo speculation
The Italian’s departure for Brazil saw his future plunged into further doubt and while Alonso had been keen to take a look at the forward, it seems as though his mind has been made up on the striker.
Rodrygo registered just 92 minutes of game time at the Club World Cup and provided just one assist as Real Madrid’s campaign came to a brutal end at the hand of European champions PSG on Wednesday night.
He'd previously made his feelings known having been dropped for the 3-2 win over Borussia Dortmund, during which he featured off the bench late on.
European champions PSG batter Real Madrid
Goals from Fabian Ruiz, Ousmane Dembele and Goncalo Ramos capped a miserable 90 minutes for the Spanish giants, who had been unbeaten in the competition prior to Wednesday’s 4-0 thrashing.
The midweek Club World Cup semi-final massacre also marked the end of Luka Modric’s time at the club, the experienced Croatia international set for a move to Italian side AC Milan.
And it’s likely that Rodrygo, who was an unused sub against PSG, will follow Modric out of the Bernabeu exit this summer.
Arsenal and Liverpool on red alert
The former Santos trainee has been heavily linked with a move to the Premier League this season, and Alonso’s decision on the frontman will have put both Arsenal and Liverpool on red alert.
The Gunners, who have signed Kepa, Martin Zubimendi and Christian Norgaard this summer, are looking to bolster their frontline in the off-season, with Viktor Gyokeres and Eberechi Eze also rumoured targets for the north London outfit.
Liverpool, meanwhile, are braced for the exit of Luis Diaz amidst reports the Colombian has handed in a transfer request to force a move.
Barcelona have previously been linked with a move for Diaz, but Bayern Munich are now the frontrunners for the former Porto man, with the Reds identifying Rodrygo as a potential replacement. Now deemed surplus to requirements by Alonso, it appears as though Rodrygo, who also struck five times and laid on two assists in the Champions League last season, has played his final game for Real Madrid.
Topics: Arsenal, Football, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Rodrygo, Transfer News, Xabi Alonso
Ben McAleer