Rodrygo has opened up on his future at Real Madrid after a summer in which he was heavily linked with a move to either Arsenal or Liverpool.
The Brazilian’s future at Real came under heavy speculation after the summer, following the arrival of new boss Xabi Alonso.
The 24-year-old featured sparingly throughout the Club World Cup, which only further heightened the suggestion that he could be sold over the summer.
Arsenal and Liverpool were both credited with interest in Rodrygo, although a potential deal for the forward never appeared to progress at any great rate.
And both clubs eventually opted to explore deals for other attacking targets, with the Gunners signing Eberechi Eze and Noni Madueke, while the Reds swooped for Alexander Isak, Hugo Ekitike and Florian Wirtz.
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Rodrygo has still found playing opportunities limited at Real this season, starting just two matches in all competitions, but the Brazilian insisted he has never felt any great desire to leave the club throughout the summer and beyond.
‘Every summer, the same thing happens to me. Whether I’m going to leave or whether I have offers from this club or that,’ he told the Spanish publication AS.
‘Every week, I was in a team if I paid attention to what was published. Of course, there are always offers; I’m not going to lie about that.
‘But I always made it clear to the club that I want to continue succeeding here, even more than I already have. It’s a lot to have won two Champions Leagues at my age, but now I want more European Cups in this shirt.
‘I’ve always said: ‘As long as Real Madrid wants me, I’ll be here.’ If one day Real Madrid says to me: ‘Rodry, find a team,’ I’ll say ‘OK.’ But that hasn’t happened. The club has always told me they count on me.
‘And when I had a problem, they were there for me. People speculated because I kept quiet. But I knew what I was going to do this season with Real Madrid and that I’m going to be focused on giving my best. It hasn’t bothered me. I was calm, and here I am… as always. This is my seventh season.’
Rodrygo also opened up about his discussions with new boss Alonso surrounding his playing time and preferred role in the Real side.
‘When the manager arrived he called me in to talk and said: ‘I know you like playing on the left, but I’m going to need you in other positions too’,’ he said.
‘I told him, ‘Okay, manager, I’m here to help the team.’ Everyone knows I prefer playing on the left and that I’m much better on that wing, but I’m always available to the team to play on the right or as a number nine, and I told him so.
‘The truth is, he’s only putting me on the left, and I like the level of minutes I’m getting.
‘I’m doing well, although, logically, I want to play more. I’m in a process of evolution, and I’m getting better and better, and I feel happy. I’m performing better and better.’
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