Real Madrid Confident Of Signing Manchester City Star Rodri After FIFA World Cup Heroics: Report
Real Madrid are reportedly growing increasingly confident of signing Manchester City midfielder Rodri, with the Spanish giants believing a deal can be completed despite the absence of formal negotiations between the two clubs.
According to reports, Madrid are now planning on the basis that the Spain international could become the latest marquee addition to their squad. The interest marks a dramatic shift in the club’s transfer strategy after senior figures had earlier insisted Rodri was not among their priorities this summer.
That stance is understood to have changed following the 30-year-old’s inspirational performances at the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Rodri captained Spain to the title and was named the tournament’s Golden Ball winner after starring in all eight matches as La Roja lifted back-to-back major international trophies following their UEFA Euro 2024 triumph.
Madrid’s hierarchy reportedly view the former Atletico Madrid midfielder as the ideal player to strengthen the heart of their midfield and are optimistic that his contract situation could work in their favour.
Rodri has entered the final year of his deal at Manchester City, although the Premier League club remain in discussions over a contract extension. City are hopeful the midfielder will commit his future under new manager Enzo Maresca, but the uncertainty has encouraged Madrid to monitor developments closely.
The Spain star has also previously admitted that returning to his homeland is an attractive prospect.
“Would I like to play in Spain again, in La Liga, in Madrid? I would like to return, yes, obviously,” Rodri said during Spain’s March international break.
“Having played for Atletico before would not prevent me from playing for Real Madrid… You can’t turn down one of the world’s best clubs.”
Despite Madrid’s optimism, any move comes with a degree of risk. Rodri is expected to undergo surgery to address a back problem, although there is no confirmed timeline for his recovery. He also endured an injury-disrupted 2024-25 campaign, spending much of the season recovering from an ACL injury before making 33 appearances last term. Hamstring and groin issues further limited his involvement.
Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca, however, remains unfazed by the growing speculation surrounding one of his key players.
“Around big players there is always speculation. I’m not worried about that,” Maresca said.
“He needs holiday. He needs to rest. He needs to recover and then he will be back here with us.”
Since joining Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019, Rodri has established himself as one of the world’s finest midfielders, winning four Premier League titles, the UEFA Champions League, two FA Cups and three League Cups. Whether he remains at the Etihad Stadium or returns to Spain could now become one of the biggest transfer stories of the summer.
Debayan Bhattacharyya is a seasoned sports journalist and digital media professional, currently serving as the Chief Sub Editor at ITV Digital (NewsX). A true Football-Fanatic Bong, his professional journey began at Zee Media, where he kicked off his career as a Sub-Editor for the sports team at India.com and CricketCountry. His ability to blend insightful analysis with rapid-fire news delivery soon led him to Times Network, where he served as a Senior Copy Editor for Times Now. Before his current role at NewsX, Debayan spent a significant tenure at OneIndia’s MyKhel as a Senior Sub Editor.
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