Gunners’ ‘major condition’ for Rodrygo deal as Arteta looks

Arsenal have decided that they will only move for Real Madrid winger Rodrygo if he is available on loan this summer, the latest report has claimed.

The Gunners’ Premier League campaign will begin August 17 against Manchester United at Old Trafford, but they will face Athletic Bilbao on Saturday in their final pre-season friendly first.

Boss Mikel Arteta has added significantly to his squad, with players like midfielder Martin Zubimendi and striker Viktor Gyokeres joining for significant fees.

The latter has played twice for the Spanish boss in pre-season and has failed to score, and while it would be unwise to make judgements based on so few minutes, there are concerns that the forward could struggle without more creativity around him.

The Times claim that Arsenal would be interested in adding left-winger Rodrygo to their squad, but would only consider a temporary deal this summer.

Why Arsenal need more attackers this summer

Arsenal finished second in 2024-25, the third consecutive campaign in which they ended as runners-up, and many highlighted the team’s offensive flaws as the primary reason for their failure.

Arteta’s side scored 69 goals last term in the top flight – 17 fewer than champions Liverpool – and the addition of Gyokeres could help close that gap.

The striker netted 45 times for Sporting Lisbon in 2024-25, but many of his goals came during counter-attack moments for the Portuguese club.

Arsenal often dominated possession for prolonged periods last season, and given Gyokeres can at times struggle to make much impact when asked to link play, he will need others to create chances for him if he is to succeed in England.

However, the Londoners only produced just 59.9 xG in the past campaign, the seventh best figure in the division, and there is an argument that producing opportunities was more problematic than finishing.

Arsenal’s current left-wing options: Is Gabriel Martinelli enough?

Gabriel Martinelli looks likely to be the Gunners’ starting left-winger, but the Brazilian is not particularly creative, with the forward only creating seven big chances last season.

Leandro Trossard is relatively untested as a consistent starter, and his best role may be coming off the bench as an impact substitute.

Arsenal signed Noni Madueke from Chelsea this summer, and though he has predominantly played from the right during his career, he did play from the left against Villarreal on August 6.

Relying on the Englishman could be risky given his lack of experience in that role, but he may represent the best option for Arteta if he fails to bring in a creative star like Rodrygo.

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