Brazilian football legend Dunga has offered his personal advice to Rodrygo, addressing the growing rumours surrounding the Real Madrid winger’s future ahead of the January transfer window.
This comes as strong reports continue to link Manchester City and manager Pep Guardiola with a major push to sign the Brazilian international, with claims that City are preparing an offer in the region of €60–80 million.
Despite Rodrygo publicly stating back in October that he has no intention of leaving Real Madrid unless the club themselves force him out, sources speaking to TEAMtalk suggest that the situation behind the scenes is more complicated.
According to these reports, Rodrygo is now open to a potential mid-season transfer, mainly due to his lack of consistent playing time under new manager Xabi Alonso.
The 2025/26 season has been a challenging one for the 24-year-old. Rodrygo has made only two starts in LaLiga and just one start in the Champions League, a surprising decline in minutes for a player who has already won three LaLiga titles and two Champions League trophies with the Spanish giants.
Alonso has largely been using Rodrygo as a rotational option, particularly to push and compete with Vinicius Junior for the left-wing position, leaving Rodrygo frustrated with his limited opportunities.
TEAMtalk journalist Fraser Fletcher reported on November 12 that despite Real Madrid preferring to wait until the summer to make any big decisions, Rodrygo has already indicated that he would consider leaving midway through the season if his situation does not improve.
Within this growing uncertainty, Manchester City are said to be leading the race. Guardiola reportedly admires Rodrygo’s versatility and attacking intelligence, viewing him as the perfect addition to City’s forward line.
The Premier League champions are believed to be willing to activate a deal worth up to €80 million, should Madrid give the green light.
Dunga, however, believes Rodrygo should remain patient. In a recent interview with Marca, he explained that Brazilian players often struggle emotionally when they are not playing regularly, unlike many European footballers who may stay calm on the bench.
Dunga pointed out that life under Alonso is very different compared to the Carlo Ancelotti era, where players were used to a more stable system. According to him, Rodrygo simply needs more time to adapt to Alonso’s new footballing philosophy.
Meanwhile, another Brazilian great, Gilberto Silva, has taken a very different stance. Speaking to talkSPORT, the former Arsenal midfielder encouraged the Gunners to attempt a move for Rodrygo if the opportunity arises.
Silva argued that Rodrygo’s talent is being wasted on the Madrid bench and that Arsenal could benefit from his ability to play across the forward line, even though competition is also strong at the Emirates.
Silva admitted the biggest challenge would be finding the right place for Rodrygo in Arsenal’s current setup, but insisted that a player of his quality should always be considered if available.
