Tom Sanderson is a Barcelona-based writer who covers Spanish football.
Using the club’s official website and social media, Real Madrid announced a transfer of one of its academy and former first team strikers around the time Carlo Ancelotti’s men took to the field to hash out an unflattering 1-1 draw with Las Palmas on Thursday night.
“Real Madrid C. F. and Getafe C. F. have agreed on the loan of the player Alvaro Rodriguez for this season, until June 30, 2025,” a short statement on the matter read.
Towards the close of a 2022/2023 campaign where Los Blancos saw its La Liga title won the previous season snatched away by arch nemesis FC Barcelona, while Manchester City won the Champions League, Rodriguez appeared to be a bright spark when he made his debut in a 2-0 win against Osasuna and provided an assist while having another ruled offside.
He scored his first senior goal in the derby against Atletico Madrid not long after in a 1-1 stalemate, and was talked up as being a potential heir to Ballon d’Or winner Karim Benzema.
With Rodriguez born in Catalonia to a Spanish mother and a father from Uruguay, it also seemed like Madrid had gotten one over on Barca by scouting a top talent from under the Blaugrana’s nose.
Yet just 12 months down the line, it looked like Rodriguez could be leaving the Bernabeu when Mundo Deportivo reported in June that he had been put up for sale.
Ancelotti decided not to use him as a striker in the first team last term even though Benzema departed to Saudi Arabia, and instead fielded Jude Bellingham as a false 9.
Rodriguez was one of a number of La Fabrica talents reportedly put on a list by President Florentino Perez to be offloaded for around $11 million (€10 million).
Furthermore, summer signing Kylian Mbappe has literally taken the 9 shirt now and plays as a target man with Brazilian wingers Vinicius Jr. and Rodrygo – or Brahim as seen in Las Palmas – either side of him.
As opposed to being sold outright, though, say like midfielder Nico Paz for instance who has joined Como in this transfer window, Rodriguez could be back at Madrid 10 months from now when his Getafe loan expires
