A player for Elche FC, Rodrigo Mendoza has discovered La Liga this season. And after fewer than 10 matches played, his profile already interests several European heavyweights such as Manchester City.
After several seasons languishing in the second division, Elche have made their return to Spanish football's elite for this 2025-26 campaign. The opportunity to see again former Saint-Etienne defender Leo Petrot or Portuguese striker Andre Silva but also to discover certain gems. One of them has already caught the eye of major European clubs, a certain Rodrigo Mendoza.
According to information from newspaper Tuttosport, Real Madrid, Manchester City and also Juventus have enquired about the midfielder. Trained at Elche, the 20-year-old player is discovering La Liga this season and after 12 matchdays, the club aiming for survival are making an interesting start with this 11th place. Despite his lack of experience, Rodrigo Mendoza clearly stands out.
Real Madrid and Manchester City monitoring the new Pedri
Rodrigo Mendoza has played nine La Liga matches, including only five as a starter, for one goal scored. But according to the Italian daily, that has been enough for him to be courted by three of the most prestigious clubs in the world. A central midfielder by training, the young Spanish prospect can also play higher up the pitch. He has already played around 10 matches in a playmaker role. According to specialist site FBref, he provides an average of 2.8 shot-creating actions per match. His profile is compared to that of Pedri by Spanish observers.
Rodrigo Mendoza is therefore very comfortable in build-up play, notably thanks to his passing quality. The midfielder has a success rate of 89 percent on passes between 15 and 30 metres, generally passes that can bring danger or break lines. For now, Rodrigo Mendoza is only valued at €9m (£7.7m) according to Transfermarkt but his clause is set at €20m (£17.1m). Juventus, Manchester City and Real Madrid continue to monitor his progress in La Liga.
This article was originally published on Top Mercato.
