Real Madrid return for Rodri! Los Blancos readying eye-watering €150m transfer offer amid determination to prise Ballon d’Or winner away from Man City

Arsenal fans woke up on a cold February morning with heavy hearts, because the news that started spreading across London football circles felt like a dark cloud rolling towards the Emirates. It was not about a loss, not about an injury, not even about tactics. It was something deeper, something emotional, something that touches the soul of football when loyalty and reality start to fight each other. Jorginho, the calm, experienced midfielder who brought leadership and maturity to the Arsenal dressing room, was suddenly the centre of a transfer storm. Flamengo from Brazil were pushing hard to sign him before the January transfer window closed, and suddenly the question every Arsenal fan was scared to ask began to rise: will Arsenal face Manchester City on Sunday without Jorginho in the squad? That possibility felt like a nightmare for supporters who understood how much his presence meant on and off the pitch. An experienced warrior, a controller of midfield tempo, a leader with maturity, now standing between loyalty to Arsenal and the desire for regular football.

Jorginho came to Arsenal in 2023 from Chelsea. Many fans were initially unsure, but within months he proved why Arteta wanted him. Calm under pressure, intelligent with the ball, proud with every duel he won, and committed to every instruction. He became a big brother in the dressing room, especially to the younger players. But this season football showed its painful truth that nothing stays the same forever. Even though he was respected, trusted, loved and valued, playing time did not come the way it used to. Only six Premier League starts in the whole campaign, and sometimes sitting on the bench watching younger players get more minutes. It wasn’t because he declined as a player. It was because football keeps changing, tactics evolve, competition for places gets harder, and even the most loyal soldier sometimes gets pushed to the edge of difficult decisions.

Flamengo were not just interested. They were aggressive, determined and prepared. They tabled a three-year contract worth £8.5 million, believing Jorginho could be the heart of their midfield project. For a 33-year-old player, to secure three years of guaranteed football at a high level is not something to ignore. And with Italy preparing for the 2026 World Cup, Jorginho knows he must play regular football if he wants to stay in the national team. The temptation is strong, the opportunity is huge, and career decisions are rarely emotional — even when the heart loves a club, the clock keeps ticking.

Negotiations hit a roadblock because Jorginho wanted closer to £11 million instead of £8.5 million. That difference created a temporary pause that allowed hope to stay alive for Arsenal supporters who were praying the deal would collapse. But Flamengo representatives and Jorginho’s camp did not stop. Instead they shifted their attention to Arsenal and began working to release him six months early. That was when the storm truly arrived. It wasn’t just rumours anymore. It wasn’t just a possibility. It became a real risk that Arsenal could lose one of their most experienced midfielders before the end of the season.

Rumours from Brazilian journalists Bruno Lemos and Canal Viega started shaking Arsenal supporters. They suggested that Jorginho might not even be included in the squad for the Premier League clash against Manchester City on Sunday. The same Manchester City team that are title rivals, the same fixture that could decide the momentum of the season, the same match that requires every experienced warrior available. To imagine Arsenal playing City without Jorginho sitting on the bench or controlling the midfield in pressure moments felt like walking into battle without armour. Every Arsenal supporter, whether at home, at work, in schools or online, felt the tension. They knew football is not only about skill but also mentality. Jorginho was one of the strongest minds in the squad.

Meanwhile, Arteta continued to speak about loyalty, focus and unity. He said earlier in January that he wanted to keep both Jorginho and Thomas Partey because of their value and experience. He said he wanted to have the conversations about future later because the season needs full concentration. He said he wanted them with the right mind frame because he understands how football works inside the mind. He sees the dressing room, he feels the atmosphere, he knows when players are mentally present and when they are mentally already thinking about a transfer. So Arteta was fighting on two fronts: one with the opponents on the pitch, and another battle with time and uncertainty behind the scenes.

But deep inside, Arsenal were preparing. Reports started saying that Martin Zubimendi from Real Sociedad had already been secured as Jorginho’s replacement. Football can be loving but football can also be cruel. Before one door closes, the club must open another one. Before one farewell is confirmed, another welcome is already in motion. And that reality stings. Supporters want loyalty. Players want love and minutes. Clubs want success and future planning. Football wants all at once, and balance becomes impossible.

Inside Jorginho’s heart, there is a storm too. He loves Arsenal, he respects Arteta, he enjoys London, he has friends in the squad, he built trust with the fans. But the clock is not waiting. At 33 years old, he knows he has maybe one more major contract in his career. He knows he cannot sit on the bench for long if he wants to stay relevant in the Italian national team. He knows Flamengo will make him a central figure, playing every week, leading the midfield with pride and responsibility. When players become older, they do not only think about trophies. They think about their legacy, their last chapter, their retirement comfort, their respect, their role, their identity. All these thoughts can pull a man in different directions

Arsenal fans now stand in the middle of this emotional whirlwind. A part of them wants Jorginho to stay until the end of the season because they understand how important he is. Another part of them wants to support him if he chooses Flamengo because they know he deserves regular football and happiness. Some fans fear that releasing him weakens the squad. Others believe Zubimendi could be the future. The club must think long-term. Supporters think emotional. Players think both emotional and professional. It is a triangle of confusion and hope.

And now a crucial Premier League fixture is around the corner. Arsenal versus Manchester City. A match that could change the entire title race. A match where small details decide who wins. A match where leaders matter. The idea that Arsenal might enter that match without Jorginho feels like a silent wound to many fans. Even if he doesn’t start, his presence on the bench is always reassuring. His calm voice can settle teammates in chaos. His leadership can bring composure. His football brain can change matches. Losing him now, right before the City match, feels like bad timing from every angle.

But sometimes life does not wait for perfect timing. Football definitely does not wait. Transfer windows do not wait. If Flamengo succeed in forcing an early release, then Sunday might become the first moment Arsenal truly feel what life after Jorginho looks like. And if he stays on the bench on Sunday, the emotional tension will rise ten times higher. Fans will watch knowing that they might be watching him for the last time in an Arsenal shirt. Every pass, every tackle, every clap to the crowd, every moment will feel heavier.

What makes this situation even more emotional is the respect between Arteta and Jorginho. They trust one another deeply. Arteta brought him for more than football. He brought him for intelligence, calmness, leadership, professionalism and maturity. Players like that are not easy to replace. Money can buy players, but it cannot easily buy personalities like that. Losing him would leave a gap not only on the pitch but inside the dressing room. And supporters know it.

Still, the story continues. Negotiations continue. Time continues. Opinions continue. The world of football does not wait for feelings to settle. There are rumours, there are calls, there are meetings, there are agents, there are directors, there are family members advising, there are fans praying. Jorginho wakes up every morning with responsibility on his shoulders. Should he follow loyalty or follow opportunity? Should he stay where he is respected or go where he will play? Should he decide with his heart or with his head?

Arsenal will recover either way because the club is strong, ambitious and growing. But that does not erase the pain of transition. Every goodbye hurts because it reminds supporters that football is not forever. Every player eventually leaves, every era eventually ends, and every team must reinvent itself again and again.

As Sunday approaches, every Arsenal fan waits for one thing: will Jorginho’s name be on the squad list? That one detail will speak louder than every rumour in the world. If his name is missing, then goodbye has already started. If his name is present, then the emotional battle continues. And whatever happens after Sunday, the story of Jorginho at Arsenal will not be a forgotten chapter. It will be remembered as a time when a player arrived quietly, earned respect through professionalism, became a leader, and left with dignity. And if Flamengo signs him, Arsenal fans will watch from afar knowing that he was never truly lost — he simply entered the next chapter of his journey.

But for now the world waits. Arsenal waits. Jorginho waits. And football once again shows how beautiful, painful, emotional and unpredictable it can be.