English Premier League giants Manchester United and Manchester City are reportedly keeping tabs on Benfica’s highly rated striker Rodrigo, who is also on the radar of Arsenal.
The talented youngster has had a breakthrough season at Estadio da Luz and has cemented his place as a first choice starter. After plying his trade on loan at Bolton Wanderers last season, he returned to Portugal and has been firing on all cylinders since.
Scoring 14 goals in 23 appearances this campaign, he has undoubtedly been a shining light for the Reds upfront. His performances have been of the highest calibre and have seemingly attracted the attention of top clubs across Europe.
Manchester City are believed to be keen on securing the services of the attacker, as Roberto Mancini looks to strengthen his squad further. Edin Dzeko has failed to showcase the form that catapulted him to fame earlier this term, while Mario Balotelli is more famous for his antics off the pitch rather than on it.
Carlos Tevez’s long standing feud with the club means that even if he makes comeback, he is likely to be sold in the upcoming transfer window. With Sergio Aguero being the only reliable striker, Mancini has allegedly targeted Rodrigo as the latest addition to the Etihad stadium.
However they face stiff competition from their cross-town rivals Manchester United, who are also in contention for the player’s signature. While Sir Alex Ferguson already has a plethora of options in the attacking department, he wants to make a summer swoop for the youngster, who has shown enormous potential over the past few months.
Even Arsenal, who are known to be miserly spenders in the market, are monitoring the situation and will move in with a bid in the summer. The Gunners’ over reliance on Robin Van Persie has been clearly evident this season and with the return of Thierry Henry to the MLS, Arsene Wenger is woefully short of quality forwards.
Signings such as Marouane Chamakh have failed to deceive, while Nicklas Bendtner is likely to be sold on a permanent basis once the transfer window opens. Wenger has already gotten a lot of stick for not strengthening his squad and given how things are going; the Londoners will miss out on a UEFA Champions League slot if they don’t step up.
With the addition of Rodrigo, the Emirates stadium could witness a lot of goals but convincing Benfica to part ways with their prized asset will not be an easy task.
The Eagles have reportedly placed a €17 million price-tag on the 20-year-old’s services and are still trying to persuade him to pen a new contract at the helm. However with the likes of United and City on his trail, he won’t commit his future to the Lisbon giants and will probably wait to see how things pan out in the summer.