Arsenal move for €20m Spanish sensation labelled the ‘new Pedri’

Carlo Garganese

Updated: 26 Nov 2025 10:36 GMT
4 min read

Arsenal are plotting a potential January move for Elche sensation Rodrigo Mendoza.

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The Daily Telegraph reports that the Gunners have been 'closely monitoring' the 20-year-old midfielder who has been compared to Barcelona superstar Pedri.

Current ETV

Rodrigo Mendoza

M (C)

Elche

Rodrigo Mendoza

M (C)

Elche

ETV Range

€6.8M - €9.1M

The report states that Arsenal's recruitment team have been scouting the player for some time and the club is considering a potential January move.

Mendoza would be available at a bargain price as he has a release clause in his Elche contract of just €20 million.

Real Madrid are also interested in signing Mendoza, who is liked by Man City and Juventus.

He has a contract until 2028 and the report says that a summer move is likelier than a January one for the player.

Mendoza to Arsenal?

The 20-year-old has enjoyed a quick rise to prominence with promoted LaLiga outfit Elche.

Mendoza, born in nearby Murcia, has come through Elche's youth academy and is increasingly making a name for himself.

A regular fixture in Spain's youth national teams since the U17 age group, the midfielder is now a U21 international and was recently allowed to train with La Roja's senior side.

He certainly left a lasting impression. Barcelona superstar Pedri, arguably the best midfielder in the world when fit and on form, believes that Mendoza is the one current player whose playing style most resembles his own.

According to local outlet Informacion earlier this month, Arsenal have sent scouts to Spain to watch Mendoza in the flesh and to potentially discuss a January deal for the midfielder.

The Gunners have a sizeable Spanish contingent in their squad already, and Mendoza would be exactly the kind of profile the Gunners have been looking for recently. Arsenal want to add a young midfielder and tried to do a deal for Sverre Nypan before he joined Man City.

It is posited that the youngster could already be on the move in January. However, the outlet does not rule out that his next club could allow him to return to Elche on loan to see out the current season.

He has made 10 appearances for Elche this season and scored two goals.

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