Questionable pursuit from Real Madrid: will Manchester City now cave in over Rodri?

The self-styled "biggest club in the world" always chase the best players on the planet. Real Madrid have sold themselves that image for years. So the links with Manchester City's Rodri over the past few weeks come as no surprise, especially after the midfield orchestrator was voted the best player of the tournament after Spain's World Cup triumph. That award alone was enough to force Real to look at the situation. Whether signing the 30-year-old is actually a good idea for the Madrid side is another matter.

Much of the current discussion around Rodri at Real, alongside two Bundesliga stars in Michael Olise (Bayern Munich) and Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig), once again comes down to president Florentino Perez. At the start of June, he was still locked in an intense election battle with challenger Enrique Riquelme, at the end of which he was comfortably confirmed in office. In suitably grand style, he promised fans and club members a mega transfer this summer, saying he wanted to make a €150 million offer for a top star.

"The offer applies to a player of the calibre of Cristiano Ronaldo or Kaka," Perez declared. In the end, though, it pointed to far less flair, invention and goal threat: Julian Alvarez was supposed to arrive from Atletico Madrid for that fee, but the city rivals swiftly and bluntly knocked back the offer from Los Blancos, which may not have been entirely serious in the first place. Real were busy in the market after that, but the one deal that would have had fans dreaming of golden times after two trophyless years never arrived. First came the return of former manager Jose Mourinho, who won titles during his time at the Santiago Bernabeu, but mostly came off second best in the eternal duel with Pep Guardiola's Barcelona.

Real still without a blockbuster in the transfer market

Then Real moved for Marc Cucurella (Chelsea) and Denzel Dumfries (Inter Milan), spending a combined €75 million on two full-backs, while Ibrahima Konate (Liverpool) arrived as another defender on a free transfer. Bernardo Silva (Manchester City), at 31 even older than Rodri, also joined on a free. But the promised blockbuster never materialised, and a move for Rodri would obviously change that.

Rodri's quality, even after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament rupture in 2024, is one clear argument in favour of Real making their move if he becomes available. He underlined that level again impressively at the tournament in the USA, Canada and Mexico. According to information from Sky Sport, City have offered him a new deal beyond his current contract, which expires in 2027, but the two sides have yet to reach an agreement. The same report says Real have offered Rodri a contract until 2030. An offer worth €50-60 million is currently said to be in preparation.

Getty Images

Yet other reports dispute that Real interest altogether. Spanish sports newspaper AS cites sources inside the club who say the supposed pursuit of Rodri is only linked to Spain's World Cup success. If he did arrive in Madrid as the midfield conductor Real have plainly missed since Toni Kroos and Luka Modric left, new manager Mourinho's whole footballing idea would be flipped on its head.

With Rodri, you get possession football. The 30-year-old decides when the game must speed up and when it needs calming down, and every attack starts with him. But from Carlo Ancelotti onwards, Real had recently grown into a side with no issue ceding the ball and waiting for transition moments through the pace of Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.

Maresca on Rodri absence: "He has to rest and recover"

One big question is whether Rodri even fits the Real manager and his style of play. Another is whether the mooted €100 million fee for a 30-year-old is simply too high. This summer, at least, Rodri looked like a player with several strong years still ahead of him, and one who might well justify that price. He has also repeatedly given the impression that, despite his past at Atletico Madrid, he would be perfectly willing to play for Los Blancos.

"The fact I played for Atletico doesn't stop me from playing for Real. There are other players who have taken that path," he said tellingly in the spring, sparking the first speculation about the midfield orchestrator returning to the Spanish capital.

Last week, though, his club announced that he would have to undergo back surgery immediately and would initially be out for an indefinite period. "He will have the operation on Monday. Then he needs a holiday, has to rest and recover. And then he will come back to us," explained City coach Maresca. On Tuesday, the Sky Blues reported that the procedure had been successful. "Everyone at the club wishes him a speedy recovery," the club wrote in a statement.

Still, there is no guarantee he will return to Manchester. According to RMC, Paris Saint-Germain are now also in for Rodri alongside Real, back surgery or not, even though the French side's midfield is excellently stocked with Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves. Their two consecutive Champions League titles speak volumes.

After seven years in England, Rodri is said to prefer a return to Spain, so persuading him to move would probably not be a major obstacle. There is also said to be growing acceptance at his club over the idea of his departure. Media reports said City initially dug their heels in and had no intention of co-operating on a deal, but that stance now appears to have softened, according to Marca. It says that "the English club, which holds the player in the highest regard, will accept his departure should that be his decision".

Perez, in any case, is known for being financially very persuasive when he wants something. And he did make a promise to the Real fans that he would be only too happy to keep.

Click here to read article