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Ricardo Rodriguez expects Wolfsburg exit, keen on Arsenal move

Wolfsburg left-back Ricardo Rodriguez has said he expects to leave the club this summer and that it would be "exciting" to join Switzerland teammate Granit Xhaka at Arsenal.

Rodriguez, 23, has a €25 million release clause in his contract, which he can activate up until the end of June, and Arsenal have recently been tipped as the frontrunners for his signature.

Wolfsburg endured a hugely disappointing season and failed to even qualify to Europe, and the defender, who has also been linked with Real Madrid, told Berner Zeitung that he is keeping his options open.

"I don't know where I'll be going, everything's still open," he said. "It's also not impossible to continue at Wolfsburg, even though it might be unrealistic right now."

He said he was relaxed about the speculation and would wait to hear about concrete developments from his agent.

He added: "There are many big clubs. The English clubs have a lot of money, Spain is a great league."

Rodriguez's Switzerland roommate Xhaka has already sealed a move to Arsenal from Borussia Monchenglabach this summer.

Asked if he would like to play with Xhaka at club level, he laughed and said: "That'd be exciting, yes, especially as we'd have already solved the rooming question at Arsenal."

Wolfsburg sporting executive Klaus Allofs recently said the Bundesliga side would not be able to influence Rodriguez's future and, in light of the defender's remarks, he has now suggested it may be better that he moves on.

Allofs told kicker: "This is no news to us. That's the agreement we struck with Ricardo. When we last talked his plan was clear. He wanted to leave us.

"A difficult season is behind us. We only need players with a clear mind. If the commitment to Wolfsburg's not there, it's better to part ways"

ESPN FC's Germany correspondent, Stephan Uersfeld, contributed to this report.