Arsenal turn attention to another Real Madrid player with limited game time over Rodrygo

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There’s already plenty of talk around the players Arsenal might target in January, even though expectations are low for a busy window.

Following a massive summer that saw eight new faces arrive, Mikel Arteta’s side aren’t expected to be big spenders this winter.

Still, Andrea Berta is staying busy behind the scenes, keeping an eye on options for January and beyond to keep Arsenal’s squad moving forward.

Victor Valdepenas’ position on leaving Real Madrid for Arsenal in 2026

Arsenal have caused a lot of problems for Real Madrid this year. The Gunners first beat them 5-1 on aggregate in the Champions League last season. It was a humiliating result for Los Blancos and definitely contributed to Carlo Ancelotti’s departure.

Then, in the summer, Arsenal stole Martin Zubimendi from Real Madrid’s clutches, and he has proved to be an incredible signing.

Despite numerous links, Arsenal didn’t move for Rodrygo over the summer, with financial factors playing a key role in that decision. Instead, Berta has now turned his attention to one of Rodrygo’s teammates: Victor Valdepenas.

Fabrizio Romano revealed in October this year that Arsenal were monitoring Valdepenas‘ situation in Spain. ESPN Deportes have backed that claim now, but there is some bad news.

The young defender is said to prefer staying at Real Madrid, where he only made his debut earlier this month. Still, his future may depend on how the club views him going forward, with offers expected to come in during the summer window.

Why Arsenal might be better off looking elsewhere for defensive help

Valdepenas is a top prospect, and it’s easy to see why Arsenal are interested in him.

The 19-year-old left-footer is capable of playing both as a centre-back and at left-back, which gives teams some flexibility. But Arsenal already have Riccardo Calafiori and Piero Hincapie who can fill those roles. They even moved on from Jakub Kiwior, another player who offered the same options, which suggests they don’t need another of that profile.

Arsenal may be better off strengthening at right-back instead. Ben White has picked up another injury, making it risky to count on him for the whole season.

Berta would be wiser to look for a backup right-back rather than adding yet another left-sided defender to the squad.