Emmanuel Petit has advised his former club Arsenal to shift their focus from summer target Nico Williams and instead pursue Real Madrid star Rodrygo. Arsenal had shown interest in Spain winger Williams during the summer transfer window, but Petit acknowledges that while the Athletic Club player would be a dream signing, Williams has not expressed any desire to leave Bilbao for the Premier League.
The Gunners made a last-minute attempt to sign Raheem Sterling on deadline day, but with a potential need for a wide forward in January or next summer, Rodrygo could emerge as a viable option. Questions are now being raised about the Brazilian’s future at Real Madrid, with Petit encouraging Arsenal to make a move.
At Madrid, Carlo Ancelotti has brought in Kylian Mbappe and Endrick, while Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham, and Brahim Diaz are also key contributors to the attack. This could leave Rodrygo in a precarious position, and Petit believes Arsenal should test the waters.
“If they can’t sign Williams, Arsenal should target Rodrygo from Real Madrid,” Petit told Genting Casino. “He’s so underrated and often overshadowed by Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr. Rodrygo reminds me of Sylvain Wiltord from my time at Arsenal. I think he would be a fantastic signing who could play across all three positions in the front line.
“I know he was recently asked about Mbappe and Vinicius Jr, and he responded, ‘I am Rodrygo, look at what I did last season.’ He’s so underrated and might feel overshadowed at Real Madrid. He could become a superstar for Arsenal. He scores goals, provides assists, and brings incredible energy on the pitch.”
Rodrygo has made appearances in all 10 of Real Madrid’s La Liga matches this season, but has only completed the full 90 minutes once. He has started the last two games on the bench, coming on late in victories against Villarreal and Celta Vigo.
Real Madrid’s next fixture is a Champions League clash against Borussia Dortmund, a rematch of the 2024 final. Speaking to the media ahead of the game, Ancelotti discussed Bellingham’s changing role and expressed satisfaction with the England star’s performances, despite a reduced goal output. He also hinted at the importance of players like Rodrygo.
“He just changed his position the other day and played on the right to find more space in the second line,” Ancelotti said. “We’re going to continue along these lines because the left side is more crowded this year with Mbappé combining with Vini Jr. With Bellingham and Rodrygo, we believe we can be just as effective on the right wing.”