Real Madrid News
Tottenham intensify contacts with €90 million-rated Real Madrid forward’s camp – report
Real Madrid and Brazil forward Rodrygo Goes continues to evaluate his future, and as options narrow in this transfer window.
The 24-year-old attacker is staring at the possibility of an exit after losing prominence in the team, with the Premier League emerging as his likeliest destination.
Liverpool are said to be Rodrygo’s preferred destination, but a move appears unlikely as they are pushing to sign Alexander Isak.
Arsenal, too, seem to have moved on from the Real Madrid star, leaving Tottenham as the most feasible option.
Tottenham step up Rodrygo pursuit
Indeed, Fichajes now reports that Tottenham have emerged as the most concrete possibility for Rodrygo, should he decide to leave Real Madrid.
Tottenham are actively seeking a dynamic left-sided attacker to boost their offensive potential, more so after captain Heung-min Son announced he will be leaving this summer.
Within that context, Rodrygo’s name has gained prominence at the club. Backed by manager Thomas Frank, the club’s sporting department has stepped up contact with the player’s camp to present their project and assess the right moment to make an offer to Real Madrid.
From the English side, there is belief that signing the Brazilian could be a decisive signing. As such, they are prepared to make a strong push – if Rodrygo gives his approval.
Real Madrid remain firm in their initial valuation, pricing the player at €90 million. However, club officials are aware that if no deal materialises in the coming days, that figure may have to be reduced as the transfer deadline approaches.
Rodrygo has not publicly expressed a desire to leave, but the competitive situation in Real Madrid’s forward line and a lack of consistent playing time could lead him to accept a move where regular minutes are guaranteed.
Tottenham are waiting patiently for a definitive answer, positioning themselves as the most viable route for the Brazilian to begin a new chapter away from the Santiago Bernabeu – one that could be crucial ahead of the 2026 World Cup.
Real Madrid’s adventure so far under new coach Jose Mourinho has been far from perfect and this fact shouldn’t be lost even after the team’s brilliant comeback win over AS Roma in midweek.
However, there are areas where Los Blancos have shown a clear improvement under Mourinho, when compared to previous bosses such as Xabi Alonso and Alvaro Arbeloa.
One of those areas has been set plays, with Real Madrid appearing far more potent from set pieces this season.
A clear improvement from last season
As reported by Diario AS, the three goals in Rome, all from Arda Guler corners inside a seven-minute blitz, were the perfect advert for the work being done at Valdebebas.
Those strikes took Real Madrid’s set-piece tally to seven goals in just ten matches this season. Four of them have come in La Liga, one from a corner and three from free kicks, with the trio in Rome completing the haul.
It is a striking figure when set against last season’s return. Under Alonso and Arbeloa, Madrid managed 12 set-piece goals across the entire campaign, all in La Liga, split evenly between six from corners and six from free kicks.
On current trends, this side looks well placed to surpass that number comfortably.
The reason behind Real Madrid’s improvement
Attacking set pieces are led at Valdebebas by Pedro Machado, with the whole coaching staff involved and Mourinho himself giving the final green light on every routine.
Defending them, meanwhile, falls to Sami Khedira, though it is treated as a collective effort. Mourinho’s appreciation of that teamwork was clear when Bellingham headed in a Guler free kick against Espanyol, prompting the manager to leap up and embrace his assistants.
Machado, one of Mourinho’s most trusted lieutenants, has followed him from Fenerbahce to Benfica and now Madrid, part of a backroom team blending experience with young, ambitious talent.
On the pitch, Guler is the undisputed master when available, his left foot the key weapon, with Bernardo Silva, Trent Alexander-Arnold and even Diomande also trusted to initiate attacks.
Such meticulous strategy has helped Real Madrid turn into a potent side from set-pieces this season.
