Should Real Madrid still consider Rodrygo Goes untouchable?

Real Madrid forward Rodrygo Goes joined the club in the summer 2019 transfer window as part of a Revolution that ended up paying in defense but has seemingly flopped in the grand scheme of things. Los Blancos unearthed two key starters for their back four in Ferland Mendy and Eder Militao. But Eden Hazard has been the biggest transfer flop in club history to this point, and Luka Jovic is set to leave the club this summer after costing 60 million euros.

That leaves Rodrygo as something of a wild card. Whereas Mendy and Militao have clearly been assets to Madrid these past two-and-a-half seasons and Hazard and Jovic have been busts, Rodrygo is a young man still trying to find his footing.

At 50 million euros, Rodrygo was a significant investment. Immediately, he looked like the next big thing, scoring the second-fastest debut goal in club history after Ronaldo Nazario and then bagging a perfect hat-trick in the Champions League one month later. His 2020/21 season was derailed after an injury against Granada in the winter, but he showed glimpses. At the beginning of this season, he had some big moments, too, including a matchwinner in the Champions League against Inter Milan.

But the overall stats are nothing to write home about. Rodrygo has scored just three career goals in 65 LaLiga appearances. While he has shown a great level in the Champions League, including two goals and two assists in 2021/22 in under 400 minutes of action, his LaLiga performances leave a lot to be desired. For someone as intelligent, hard-working, and creative as Rodrygo is, the 21-year-old has been very inconsistent in league play. Highlighting this, he has no goals and just one assist in the league this season.

Real Madrid have not considered selling Rodrygo yet, but that could change

Real Madrid have communicated to the media since the last summer transfer window that Rodrygo is not for sale. Despite interest from clubs like PSG and Liverpool, Real have shown zero interest in selling him. They have not even shown interest in loaning Rodrygo, even though Madridistas believe that would be for the best.

Next season, the young winger’s situation will be even more difficult. Already, he’s had to give up on his preferred position on the left wing for Vinicius Jr., who has broken out as a superstar, making Rodrygo’s pedestrian 2021/22 season a bigger talking point among fans. He’s had to spend most of his time on the right wing since joining the club, and you can tell by his playing style, dribbling, and inconsistent finishing, this is not the position for him.

It will get even harder for him to obtain minutes in 2022/23 when Kylian Mbappe arrives. If Erling Haaland joins him, that could be game over. Throw in Brahim Diaz and Takefusa Kubo as two right-sided wingers with better left feet than Rodrygo, and you can see why he would be in a difficult situation.

As with last year, there will be more reports and statements about Rodrygo, who was once considered among the untouchable players at the club, along with fellow youngster Fede Valverde. But whereas Valverde has increased his stock with top performances, Rodrygo takes some steps forward but seemingly more backward.

This will be the first summer he is not seen as untouchable. I do not think he will be sold, and I think the club values him highly as a role player with upside. Will he ever fulfill that upside at Real Madrid? It is a loaded question that leans more towards “no” with every season he is stuck on the right side or drifting in and out of the lineup. If a tempting offer comes, Real could say yes. If Rodrygo is not satisfied with being a role player, that transfer may come. As we saw with Martin Odegaard last summer.

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Rodrygo is an investment for Real. They are still backing their investment and have seen the quality in him, as well as the effort, which may count for even more given the direction the team is going in with Mbappe and Vini. But Rodrygo is not untouchable. He is not unsellable. Very few players at Real Madrid are, and with rumblings of a Revolution in attack, the ex-Santos man could be the one who gets left behind. A loan seems more likely, yes, but if Real and Rodrygo himself feel a loan is only delaying the inevitable – as with Jovic to Eintracht in 2021 – then a sale a la Odegaard could be on the table.