Bayern Munich and Premier League rivals Chelsea are among the other clubs chasing the Real Madrid superstar
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The January transfer window could already be a sliding doors moment for Thomas Frank’s Tottenham Hotspur, with the side’s limitations beginning to show themselves particularly in the Premier League. Since Tottenham bounced back from defeat to Bournemouth by emphatically beating West Ham at the London Stadium, they sit joint twelfth in the Premier League form table, level with disaster-riddled Liverpool.
However, while any title aspirations are looking more unlikely with a top-five finish more than adequate progress this campaign following that disastrous 17th place, Spurs still have a chance in the Champions League. In four of the last six seasons since Tottenham themselves reached the final, Borussia Dortmund, AC Milan, Villarreal, and RB Leipzig have all made unlikely runs to at least the last four, and there’s no reason that Spurs can’t be that side this time around.
They’ve already drawn with and beaten two of the last three winners across 90 minutes and though Frank’s conservative style may not be winning over too many fans in North London, there’s no denying it’s effective especially against Europe’s best. Brentford picked up six points against big six opposition in each of Frank’s last two seasons, and a massive 21 in 2022/23 and all the evidence suggests that he’s brought that same effectiveness to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium.
But he’ll need more stardust especially in attack, and hijacking Manchester City’s January move for Rodrygo would be the perfect way to do it.
Tottenham can’t afford to lose out on Rodrygo
Too often, Tottenham’s plan appears to be ‘give it to Mohammed Kudus and hope for the best’, with the Ghanaian having provided 50% of assists by The Lilywhites’ attackers in the league. Spurs need more incision on the left flank with Wilson Odobert having shone in flashes but yet to show the required end product. And though Brennan Johnson scored in that famous win over Manchester City, his underlying numbers aren’t good.
He’s averaging just 1.53 shot-creating actions (SCA) per game - half of Kudus’ tally - and only participates in a goal (GCA) every five matches. By contrast, all three of Pep Guardiola’s frontline wingers this season (Jeremy Doku, Savinho and Oscar Bobb) have higher SCA than Spurs’ top widemen and Johnson sits at the bottom of that combined list too.
And with Rodrygo apparently on the market, he can provide that spark, penetration and most importantly goal threat. In his final season as a regular starter in the capital, Rodrygo was in the top 15 La Liga players for SCA and GCA, higher than any of Spurs’ wingers are doing this season apart from Kudus.
Just as importantly, Rodrygo delivers in the biggest moments. He has 18 goals in senior knockout football - a phenomenal hit rate especially given his age and reduced role last season - and from hitting a hat-trick on his home Champions League debut has thrived the brighter the lights.
Chelsea, Atletico Madrid and Manchester City are among those who can attest to his ability to break dreams and crush hearts with a timely strike. Which may explain why Guardiola is so keen to land Rodrygo in January.
Can Tottenham outbattle Man City and Europe’s best?
Having initially committed to fighting for his place in the Real Madrid in 2025/26,three starts so far have apparently changed Rodrygo’s mind. Players as talented and established as the Brazilian don’t come along very often and even less so from clubs like Real Madrid, so obviously there are plenty of suitors.
TEAMTalk believe Manchester City are the leaders in the clubhouse but Tottenham are chasing hard while Chelsea and Bayern Munich are reportedly interested.
The Citizens will be hard to beat but they’ll have a tougher job selling Rodrygo on his place at the Etihad Stadium. For all of Guardiola’s undoubted brilliance, he’s not found it as easy to integrate established superstars into his sides (for example Jack Grealish and Zlatan Ibrahimovich) and Rodrygo is undoubtedly in that bracket.
Jeremy Doku has started the season so strongly for The Citizens on the left flank and with the last memory of him in a sky blue shirt being that dismantling of Conor Bradley and Liverpool it seems unthinkable to imagine he could lose his place in the team or be forced out of position in a matter of weeks.
Off the back of finally breaking their trophy drought, Tottenham have the opportunity to truly establish themselves among Europe’s elite on the field as well as off it, but players like Rodrygo are who they must sign to make that happen so this is a chance they can’t afford to miss.