Arsenal star addresses Rodrygo transfer links as Mikel Arteta looks to reinforce attack to catch Liverpool

Published: June 13 2025 | 23:28

Last updated: June 14 2025 | 00:09

An Arsenal star addresses the rumours linking Real Madrid's Rodrygo with a move to the Emirates, as Mikel Arteta looks to close the gap to Liverpool next season.

Arsenal centre-back Gabriel Magalhaes has admitted that he would bring Real Madrid forward Rodrygo to the Emirates if he had the power to do so.

The Gunners are set to conduct significant business this summer transfer window in a bid to leapfrog Liverpool next season and win the Premier League title.

Boss Mikel Arteta guided the club to a third consecutive second-placed finish in 2024-25, but if he is to catch the Reds in 2025-26, he will need his squad to be reinforced with offensive additions.

Strikers Benjamin Sesko and Viktor Gyokeres have been strongly linked to the Emirates, though the team have also been credited with an interest in Brazilian attacker Rodrygo.

Current Arsenal man and Brazilian teammate Gabriel praised the Real forward's level when asked if the attacker would be coming to London, saying: "I don’t know. I would like it but who knows? Rodrygo for me is a phenomenon. People are mentioning his name a lot. If it depended on me, of course. As I said, he is a phenomenon."

The Gunners ended the season having scored 69 goals in the top flight, 17 fewer than eventual champions Liverpool managed.

Would Rodrygo fit in at Arsenal?

Rodrygo prefers to operate on the left side of attack, but because Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior also prefer to play on the left, the Brazilian has not always been stationed in his ideal position.

Despite not being optimally platformed by Los Blancos, the 24-year-old still managed to score 13 goals and provide nine assists in all competitions last term, though he did net 17 times in 2023-24.

Arsenal may be able to offer the Real attacker a place on the left side of their attack given current left-winger Gabriel Martinelli has frequently been criticised for his performances in the final third and his status as a starter is in doubt.

The winger netted eight Premier League goals in 2024-25 and just six in 2023-24, and he has also struggled to impact play against settled opposition defences.

While Rodrygo is not as quick as Martinelli, he is more comfortable operating in central zones, so perhaps he would be able to register more goal involvements if he was allowed to drift infield.

The Real Madrid forward is able to play as a striker, so perhaps Arteta sees his rounded skillset as something that could help close the gap to Liverpool, who used winger Luis Diaz in a central role to great effect last term.