Florentino Perez hands Arsenal boost after approving £43m Real Madrid transfer

Real Madrid are pursuing a transfer that could well bolster Arsenal's chances of retaining the Premier League title next season

While Arsenal await positive developments on the future of Vinicius Junior, Florentino Perez has handed them what could yet prove to be a huge boost in their quest to retain their Premier League crown.

Internally at Real Madrid, Rodri is a name that has been frequently discussed for some time but it's a deal that has never looked feasible.

That's until now because as Rodri stalls on a new contract with Manchester City, Real Madrid's interest appears to be getting serious.

Perez was yet to rubber-stamp an approach for the World Cup-winning captain but fresh reports indicate the Real hierarchy have now been given his approval to pursue a move. There's supposedly a willingness to pay around £43million (€50m).

Rodri wants Los Blancos and if they were to get a transfer over the line, it would underline the seismic changes at City in light of Pep Guardiola's departure.

FOLLOW OUR ARSENAL FB PAGE! Latest Gunners news, analysis and much more via our dedicated Facebook page

In recent years, they have lost Kevin De Bruyne and Ilkay Gundogan but after waving goodbye to their greatest ever boss, they could also now lose Bernardo Silva and Rodri, two cornerstones of a serial-winning dressing room.

That would be music to the ears of Mikel Arteta and Arsenal because in the past four seasons, they have been pushed to the wire by City and have ultimately been usurped to the title on three occasions by a team that is a force of nature.

Now, there is a firm argument City will be weaker and if Arsenal are able to build on last season's achievements, they will be in great stead to become champions again.

Of course, Manchester United are looking strong and Liverpool and Chelsea are sure to improve under new managers Andoni Iraola and Xabi Alonso but if the Gunners can get their recruitment right, they will have every chance of going back-to-back.

Rodri's departure is not set in stone at this stage and City do have a replacement through the door in Elliot Anderson but it's more about City's loss of leaders and serial-winning players who know how to get the job done.

There is a fair chance they could now go through a small period of adaptation to adjust to a new head coach and Enzo Maresca's methods.

On the pitch, the players will also have to adapt to having virtually an entire new engine room. Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi, a player Arsenal have liked and tracked, could well join Anderson at City if Rodri is to depart.

But there is just no getting away from the fact Bernardo and Rodri are huge losses, providing the latter does get his dream switch to the Bernabeu.

Losing John Stones and Nathan Ake, two other long-standing key players, is also a loss.