- Arsenal face a huge transfer window and are in need of strengthening up front
- The club missed out on the Premier League title for a third season in a row
- LISTEN NOW: It’s All Kicking Off! Should Oliver Glasner leave Palace for Spurs?
A Real Madrid forward has emerged as a surprise transfer target for Arsenal this summer, according to a report.
The Gunners missed out on the Premier League crown once again, this time being beaten to the post by Liverpool comfortably, after twice falling short to Manchester City.
Though they reached the Champions League semi-finals, the glaring need for a striker remained on show, especially after Kai Havertz’s hamstring injury back in February.
But aside from a No 9, there have been increasing calls for a left-sided forward with some considering Gabriel Martinelli’s development not quite progressing at the rate to take Arsenal to the next level.
As such, the club are now reportedly interested in Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, and are thought to be exploring all options for a deal, according to German journalist Florian Plettenberg.
He writes that talks have in fact begun between player and club behind the scenes, and is a possible ‘departure candidate’ at the Spanish titans this summer.
Mikel Arteta and Arsenal are reportedly keen to bring Rodrygo to the Emirates Stadium
The Brazilian forward is one part of Real Madrid’s ‘Fab Four’ with Vinicius Jnr, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham
Arsenal once again fell short in their pursuit of silverware despite reaching the Champions League semi-finals
With Kylian Mbappe arriving last summer to add to Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, the Brazilian’s comparative importance to the side has receded in the last 12 months.
Yet he is one of the foremost wingers in the game, with 68 goals and 50 assists in 267 appearances for Los Blancos.
This season he has contributed 13 goals and 10 assists in 50 games in a side that has struggled for consistency in the final chapter of Carlo Ancelotti’s Real Madrid career.
It is set to be a huge off-season for Real Madrid, with Ancelotti joining Brazil and Xabi Alonso expected to be taking over.
He has a huge task on his hands, though, if he is to wrest domestic supremacy out of Barcelona’s hands, with Lamine Yamal and Co winning the league, cup, and super cup treble.
For Arsenal, though, a player with the versatility and calibre of Rodrygo could be a key part of the puzzle if Mikel Arteta is to solve the conundrum as to why his side are still not named champions of England.
The Gunners have a big window ahead with a new striker at the top of sporting director Andrea Berta’s list.
Both Sporting Club de Portugal’s Viktor Gyokeres and RB Leipzig’s Benjamin Sesko are firmly on the north London club’s radar.
Gabriel Martinelli’s pdevelopment has not quite seen him become an elite level left winger
Kai Havertz suffered a serious hamstring tear back in February that left the Gunners short up top
Either player would cost well in excess of £60million, in addition to the expected arrival of Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad who reportedly has a £51m release clause.
Ahead of last weekend’s win over Newcastle, Arteta hinted that the club may have to spend beyond their budget if they’re to bring in the players they require.
‘The budget is like when you have your wedding: you plan your wedding with your wife and you give her a budget and it’s never less, it’s always more,’ he said.
‘When you build a house, it’s always more. Normally this happens. You prepare for different scenarios. Then unfortunate things happen.
‘There are so many variables that can happen but there is a budget. There is always an idea of what we can do, what we can improve, what the priorities are going to be and then let’s see if we can do it.’
