Real Madrid are reportedly expected to lower their original asking price for Rodrygo as the Spanish giants plot a mass summer exodus.
Xabi Alonso has been financially backed during his first few months at Real Madrid. Only the Premier League trio of Liverpool, Chelsea and Arsenal can top Madrid’s €167.5 million ($196.8 million) outlay. Incoming funds have been less readily available.
Luka Modrić, Lucas Vázquez and Jesús Vallejo have all had their wages removed from the salary bill, yet Álvaro Rodríguez’s €2 million ($2.4 million) move to Elche is the only transfer fee Madrid have been able to extract.
In order to maintain their carefully managed financial position, Madrid are expected to embark upon “operation departures” in August, starting with the exit of Rodrygo, per AS.
The so-called “soap opera of the summer” is expected to rumble on a little longer. Interest from a fleet of Premier League clubs has been reported throughout the off-season. However, the door to Arsenal is thought to have been all but closed while Liverpool’s admiration is “cooling”. Bayern Munich are ploughing forward with a move for Luis Díaz which leaves the door open for Tottenham Hotspur.
In their attempts to make Rodrygo attractive to all his suitors, Madrid are supposedly willing to accept an offer below their previous asking price of €90 million (£78.6 million, $105.7 million). How low they will go remains to be seen.
Rodrygo, for his part, reportedly isn’t considering a departure until he is told by Alonso to find a new team. Clearly, the distinct lack of minutes afforded to him by the incoming Spanish coach during the Club World Cup wasn’t a clear enough message.
Beyond the Brazilian misfit, Madrid are thought to be considering departures for David Alaba, Endrick, Ferland Mendy and Dani Ceballos.
Alaba and Endrick are reportedly very much keen on staying. The Austrian center back has supposedly been offered the chance of having a portion of his remaining salary paid out to ensure a premature conclusion to his contract. This was bluntly rejected.
The emergence of Gonzalo García this summer has shunted Endrick even further down the pecking order although a recent hamstring injury has dramatically reduced the number of interested suitors this summer. A January loan move could be on the cards for the young Brazilian.
Much like Endrick, Ferland Mendy finds himself out of favor and injured. Dani Ceballos has been more open about accepting a move away this summer, though quite how Real Betis would fund a return for their former star remains to be seen.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Rodrygo: Real Madrid ‘Willing to Lower’ Asking Price Amid Four-Way Transfer Chase.