they didn’t see it coming not the fans not madrid not even rodrygo himself maybe deep down he knew something was changing but he didn’t speak not at first he just showed up to training laced up his boots and the boots weren’t nike anymore that was the first sign that something was shifting nike was his past adidas might be his future and when you’re a player like rodrygo little signs speak big things he had been with nike for over ten years he was loyal they had been with him since his teenage days in brazil but now here he was stepping onto the training ground in the brand new adidas f50s like a silent signal like a whisper in a storm
and arsenal noticed because arsenal always notice when something is off when there’s a crack in the wall they’re there waiting watching planning and right now they’re watching rodrygo very closely
it started quietly just murmurs just whispers he’s not playing much he’s on the bench he only got five minutes in the club world cup knockout stages not even a full run just five minutes and that’s not normal not for a player like rodrygo a player with flair vision speed heart a player who can twist a game with one flick of his foot but at madrid he was now just an option not a priority arda guler had taken his place brahim diaz had stepped ahead and rodrygo was fading into the shadows slowly painfully the light was dimming in madrid
he had started the tournament with fire assisted in the opener looked ready but then he was benched then forgotten and now the spanish press the english press the world press they’re all talking and they’re all pointing towards one door
a club with ambition a club with young talent a club that believes in flair and fight and dreams and rodrygo fits that mould perfectly and now with thomas partey gone and some space opening up and adidas quietly playing the background music maybe just maybe something big is about to happen
because adidas is not just a brand they’re a bridge a silent hand that moves chess pieces behind the curtains and arsenal is their golden child now arsenal wears their stripes breathes their culture lives their legacy £600 million is no joke that’s love that’s commitment that’s influence and when rodrygo showed up in those f50s he wasn’t just switching boots he was switching signals
chelsea are interested tottenham too but neither has the pull the project the poetry that arsenal has right now mikel arteta is building something bigger than trophies he’s building a legacy he’s building a family and every player wants to be part of that especially a player like rodrygo who knows he has more to give more to prove more to say
he’s 24 still young still fire still future and arsenal want that kind of energy they want that magic they want that unpredictability and with jesus injured often with saka overloaded with martinelli sometimes isolated they need another spark another option another chaos creator and rodrygo is chaos wrapped in samba real madrid haven’t said anything yet not officially but their silence is loud very loud they’re not denying the interest they’re not confirming his future and when madrid doesn’t fight to keep you it means they’re ready to let you walk
he can feel that madrid love is cooling he can feel the spotlight slipping and he’s not ready to fade not yet not at 24 not when he still has so much football in his legs and fire in his chest arsenal know this they feel it too they’ve been here before they saw it with martin odegaard they saw a star dimming in madrid they gave him a home and now he’s captain now he’s a symbol now he’s a heartbeat and maybe they’re about to do it again maybe rodrygo is the next madrid man to rise again in north london
the £75 million price tag is no joke it’s big money it’s serious money but arsenal has money now not just in the bank but in ambition in belief in backing and if adidas whispers and edu listens and arteta says yes the deal can happen there’s history too arsenal and adidas reunited in 2019 like old lovers finding each other again and since then it’s been magic new kits new eras new hopes and now maybe a new star a new face a new samba boy under the emirates lights
the fans are dreaming already they’ve seen the photos they’ve seen the boots they’ve read the reports and deep down they’re already imagining rodrygo in red and white running down the wing dancing with the ball feeding nketiah or gyokeres or scoring goals that shake the league but nothing is done yet deals like this are like fire and ice fast and slow loud and silent all at once and rodrygo is still training still sweating still waiting still choosing because he has a choice he can stay fight prove himself again in madrid or he can jump take the risk cross the sea and wear new colors and write a new story and what a story it would be
from santos to madrid to london from wonderkid to benchwarmer to superstar again maybe maybe just maybe football is about moments about timing about guts and rodrygo is standing on the edge of a moment right now and if he jumps arsenal will catch him they’re ready they’ve been ready since the day he laced those f50s
