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Analysis
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Rodri snubs 'mega offer' and sparks Real Madrid civil war
Updated: 21 Jul 2026 15:27 BST |
4 min read
News
Manchester City superstar Rodri has his heart set on a move to Real Madrid, but there is currently one major hurdle that needs to be overcome before his dream transfer can become reality.
The 30-year-old has emphatically shown the world of football that he is officially back. After previously struggling to reach his pre-ACL injury form during the bygone season, Rodri enjoyed a remarkable renaissance at the World Cup.
The Spain midfielder completely dominated in North America this summer and deservedly won the Golden Ball as La Roja added a second star, courtesy of a thoroughly convincing 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final on Sunday.
Current ETV
Rodri
DM, M (C)
Man City
Rodri
DM, M (C)
Man City
ETV Range
€59.2M - €72.4M
After his holiday, Rodri will return to Man City as things stand. However, his club future has been in doubt for some time, and this is now even more the case following his standout performances at the World Cup.
The Spaniard's contract at the Etihad is up next summer, but there has been no progress on an extension so far. In fact, according to Matteo Moretto, Rodri has yet to even respond to the "mega offer" Man City have presented.
Rodri wants Real Madrid
That's because the player dreams of a move to Real Madrid this summer. Likely feeling that his time at Man City has come to an end following Pep Guardiola's departure, Rodri is desperate to return to Spain.
And despite his Atletico Madrid past, his desired destination is Real Madrid. In recent months, Los Blancos have been heavily linked with the 30-year-old, but president Florentino Perez decided ahead of the World Cup not to pursue the midfielder.
This decision was probably informed by Man City's reported stance that they would not let Rodri go cheaply this summer, despite his expiring contract. It was suggested that they would rather keep him and lose him for nothing in 2027 than sell him in 2026.
As reported by Moretto and also Fabrizio Romano, Perez has yet to change his stance on signing the midfielder. This means that, at present, Rodri is not an option for Real Madrid.
However, this could still change over the course of the summer. Moretto understands that "a portion of the board is pressing to reach an agreement with the Spanish midfielder" after becoming infatuated with him during the World Cup.
According to Romano, Perez is actively blocking the move. Moretto, on the other hand, seems to insinuate that the Blancos supremo could soften his stance if convinced by the "portion of the board" that wants to sign Rodri.
Indeed, he believes that Real Madrid are "internally reconsidering" whether to pursue Rodri. They are "weighing the options" of whether signing a midfielder is feasible, with new manager Jose Mourinho believed to be prioritising the acquisition of another defender.
If Real Madrid were to decide to go for Rodri, it could mean that a midfielder would have to be sold, which would open up another can of worms because Aurelien Tchouameni has extended his contract and Eduardo Camavinga doesn't want to leave, while Federico Valverde is not for sale.
There are a lot of moving parts at this stage, but one thing is clear: Rodri wants Real Madrid - and some senior figures at Real Madrid want Rodri. As is so often the case, everything will ultimately depend on Perez's final decision.
