Rodrygo: Real Madrid player-to-be in midst of goal drought
The young forward, who is to join Real Madrid in 2019, has gone almost 1,300 minutes without a goal for Santos.
The pace of Rodrygo Goes' meteoric rise has slowed ever so slightly.
Hasn't scored for Santos since back in August
The young Santos forward - who is to join Real Madrid next year in a deal similar to the move that saw compatriot Vinicius arrive at the Bernabéu in the summer - is in the midst of a goal drought that has now lasted for more than three months.
The 17-year-old last netted for Santos in August, when he came off the bench to hit the second in a 3-0 win over Sport Recife in the Campeonato Brasileiro. Since then, he has gone 1,299 minutes without adding to his tally, despite starting 14 of the team's last 17 matches.
Rodrygo has only managed to interrupt his dry spell in the shirt of Brazil U-20s, for whom he scored in a 1-1 friendly draw with Chile in mid-October as part of the Canarinha's preparations for the upcoming South American U-20 Championship.
Rodrygo's 2018 record at Santos
| P | Minutes | Goals | Assists | |
| Brasileirao | 32 | 2,507 | 6 | 3 |
| Libertadores | 8 | 545 | 1 | 0 |
| Others1 | 13 | 3 | ||
Sources: Transfermarkt and Mis Marcadores.
1Copa do Brasil and Campeonatos Paulistas.
Can join Madrid in January, but Los Blancos likely to wait
The event in Chile, which takes place from 17 January to 10 February, will be Rodrygo's first experience of a major international tournament. In the days before it gets underway, on 9 January, the attacker will turn 18 - at which point he will under FIFA rules be allowed to move to Madrid.
However, Los Blancos are thought to be in favour of the player staying where he is and gaining further experience both at the South American Championship and in the opening period of the 2019 domestic season in Brazil.
Santos host Botafogo tonight at 21:00 local time (00:00 CET) in the Brasileiro. With three games to go in the league season, the Peixe sit 10th in the table with 46 points, and have only an outside chance of qualifying for the Copa Libertadores.
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