Arsenal have joined the race to sign Elche’s midfield prodigy Rodrigo Mendoza, according to CalcioMercato.it via Tuttojuve.
After progressing through the Spanish club’s academy, the 20-year-old stepped into the senior squad in 2022. He played a major part in their promotion last season and has continued to be influential in Los Franjiverdes’ battle to stay in La Liga, where they stand 11th with 15 points—only three behind sixth-placed Espanyol.
Dubbed the next Pedri, Mendoza prefers operating as a box-to-box midfielder, though he can slot into the No. 10 role when required. His game is built on strong technical ability, and he excels at slipping past challenges and threading in passes even in the most crowded of spaces.
He has already scored twice in ten league appearances this season, and the combination of his displays and room for growth has pushed some clubs to take genuine interest in the Spaniard heading into the January transfer window.
Citing CalcioMercato.it, Tuttojuve claims that Arsenal have set their sights on Mendoza over his possible transfer to the Emirates Stadium.
However, they face stern competition for his signature from Real Madrid, Juventus, Como, and Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad, who saw their offer for the youngster rebuffed last summer, according to the report.
With a contract at the Estadio Martínez Valero until 2028, Elche will likely demand a substantial amount to let the Spanish U21 star go amid interest from the Gunners, especially after reportedly rejecting a £17m offer from the Saudis last summer.
The next Pedri
Arsenal have accelerated impressively under Mikel Arteta over the last three campaigns, finishing second twice and investing more than £250m in the summer to assemble a group that sits at the top of the Premier League table despite numerous injuries.
That summer spending included bolstering the midfield with Martin Zubimendi and Christian Nørgaard. Consequently, Arteta already has those two alongside Declan Rice, Mikel Merino, Martin Ødegaard, Eberechi Eze, and Ethan Nwaneri to fill just three midfield roles.
Although Arsenal have long demonstrated an ability to develop emerging players, it raises an obvious question about where Mendoza would realistically slot into the current setup. Unless the club view him as a longer-term project, they might find more immediate value in strengthening other areas.
However, Arteta has always held firm to the idea that talent outweighs age — so if Mendoza proves himself, a route into the team would certainly be possible.
