Rodrygo: There were offers but I want to succeed at Real Madrid

Rodrygo says he will stay at Real Madrid “as long as they want me” despite admitting there were offers for him to leave over the summer.

The Brazil international struggled for form and fitness last season and was expected to depart the Santiago Bernabeu with Arsenal, Tottenham and Liverpool all linked with the 24-year-old.

He conceded he had issues “physically and mentally” last term but is now determined to win the trust of new boss Xabi Alonso.

In an interview with AS, he said: “Every summer the same thing happens to me, that I am going to leave and that I have offers from this or that club. I was going to a different team every week.

“Of course there are always offers, I’m not going to lie about that. But I always made it clear to the club that I want to continue succeeding here, more than I already have. It’s a lot to have won two Champions Leagues at my age, but now I want more European Cups with this shirt. 

“I have always said: ‘while Madrid wants me, I will be here.’ If one day Madrid tells me: ‘Rodry, find yourself another club,’ I will say ‘okay.’ But that hasn’t happened. The club has always told me that it counts on me. 

“And when I went through some problems they were with me. People speculated because I kept quiet. But I knew that I was going to play this season with Madrid and that I would be focused to give my best version. It didn’t bother me. I was calm, and here I am… as always. It’s already my seventh season.”

Rodrygo still searching for his Bernabeu best

Rodrygo has been reintegrated into the first-team under Alonso but has yet to reach his best form.

He has made eight appearances in all competitions this season but has yet to score and contributed just one assist.

He remains confident, however, that improvement is not far away.

He added: “When the coach arrived, he called me to talk and told me: ‘I know you like to play on the left, but I’m also going to need you in other positions.’ I told him: ‘Okay boss, I’m here to help the team.’ 

“Everyone knows that I prefer to play on the left and that I am much better on that side, but I am always available to the team to play on the right or as a nine. I’m doing well although, logically, I want to play more. I’m in a process of evolution and I’m getting better and happy. I’m performing better and better.”

Reflecting on last season when his form dipped alarmingly, he explained: “The truth is that I had a very difficult time on a personal level. I didn’t talk to people for a long time. No-one knew what was happening, it was a very difficult time. I wasn’t well either physically or mentally.

“First God, then my family… and [then Real Madrid boss] Mr. Ancelotti helped me get out of all that. Carlo helped me a lot. He saw every day that I was not well, that I was not there to play, that I could not help the team. But there was no time to recover because we played every three days and then you can’t stop to solve the problem. He saw that I had real problems. He understood my moment and my complicated situation.

“He told me: ‘You stay calm, you’re not here to play now.’ I thanked him and asked him to play. But he knew he had to recover the person before the soccer player. The important thing was to be well in the head. It was a very difficult time in my life, but now I’ve overcome everything, I’m ok. Whenever I can I thank Carletto, his son Davide, the coaching staff. Everyone helped me and of course my family. Now I only feel joy, I’m happy, very motivated to have a great season.”

Rodrygo bullish over Brazil’s World Cup chances

Ancelotti left Madrid over the summer but will continue to work with Rodrygo having taken over the Brazil national team. The South American nation struggled through qualifying, finishing in fifth in the Conmebol section, but have made sure of their place in the United States, Canada and Mexico next summer.

And Rodrygo remains confident they can put up a challenge at the finals despite not winning the trophy since 2022.

“Because it is Brazil and because of our history, you can always dream,” he said. “We have earned the respect of our rivals. We are the five-time champion even if we have not done well over the past few years. You can always dream because we have very good players who play in the best teams in the world.”