Rodrigo has been discussing a move to Al-Rayyan, but a Premier League switch could be on the horizon
It will come as no surprise that Leeds United striker Rodrigo is attracting plenty of transfer attention this summer following their relegation from the Premier League.
The Spaniard became United’s record signing in 2020 when arriving from Valencia for a fee of £27 million, but he failed to really shine in-front of goal in his first two seasons at Elland Road.
He really hit his stride though in 2022-23 despite the relegation, with 13 Premier League goals scored to be Leeds’ talisman.
It obviously was not enough to keep the West Yorkshire outfit in the Premier League, and considering he will no doubt be on a large wage, it was unrealistic to ever expect the 32-year-old to stay at Leeds.
Plenty of clubs are believed to hold an interest in Rodrigo, but it’s all about firming it up with offers and it did look like he was close to a move – but another club has entered the running.
What is the transfer latest on Rodrigo?
Even though it appeared that Rodrigo could be heading back to Spain with Sevilla, a deal reportedly broke down between the two parties, which then put Qatari outfit Al-Rayyan in the driving seat.
Reporter Bruno Andrade claimed last week that he was close to departing Leeds for Al-Rayyan and negotiations were advanced, but he has now reported that Fulham have showed their hand.
The Cottagers had a good season in the Premier League in 2022-23 and potentially want to add another option at the top end of the pitch to compete with Aleksandar Mitrovic, and Rodrigo is not expected to cost that much at all in terms of a transfer fee.
Al-Rayyan are said to be still confident about landing the experienced forward’s services, but Fulham’s new interest could prove to be a road block.
How long does Rodrigo have left on his Leeds contract?
Rodrigo put pen-to-paper on a four year contract at Elland Road when arriving from Valencia, meaning that he is now into his final 12 months at the club.
Some reports have suggested that Rodrigo has a £3 million release clause in his deal following the club’s relegation from the Premier League, but that has been disputed.
Regardless, the Spain international looks destined to depart this summer and it’s now just a matter of whether he stays in England and heads back to the Premier League or if he heads abroad.
