Arsenal are keen on signing highly rated Spanish midfielder Rodrigo Mendoza from Elche, according to Calciomercato.com via Tuttojuve.
After progressing through Elche’s youth pathway following his arrival in 2019, Mendoza spent the previous two campaigns featuring for the side in the Segunda División, and at 20 years of age, he has already turned out for Spain’s U17, U18, U19, U20, and U21 teams.
His first senior debut came in November 2022, when he entered the field for Josan during a 3-0 Copa del Rey victory at CD L’Alcora, the same season they suffered relegation.
Across the following two seasons, the midfielder cemented his place within the senior group. Operating either as a creative presence further forward or from a deeper role, Mendoza accumulated 44 league appearances in the second division during that spell, contributing two goals.
Since Elche regained their spot in La Liga, he has kept a consistent level of involvement early in the 2025-26 season, continuing his good form with two goals in 11 matches, performances that have attracted attention from multiple clubs.
Citing Calciomercato.com, Tuttojuve claims that Arsenal have set their sights on Mendoza as a possible option to bolster Mikel Arteta’s midfield.
The Spanish midfielder is also attracting interest from Serie A clubs, with the report claiming that Italian giants Juventus and Napoli are set to battle the Gunners for his signature.
Mendoza to Arsenal
However, the Italian outlet adds that Arsenal are looking to trump the Italian clubs by offering a much higher salary package to land the Spain U21 star in 2026.
Across Europe’s major leagues, few managers can match Mikel Arteta’s current depth in the centre of the pitch, with Martin Zubimendi, Christian Nørgaard, and Eberechi Eze added to an already established core featuring Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Ødegaard, and academy product Ethan Nwaneri.
Yet, in terms of long-term planning, the middle of the park remains the clearest area of focus for Arsenal, as it is the oldest section of their outfield group, with Nwaneri the lone midfielder under 26.
Mendoza, who is valued at £7m by Transfermarkt, would be a viable option to phase into the side and eventually take over a midfield position over the next couple of campaigns, in preparation for when any among the current senior options eventually leave the club.
