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Jose Mourinho’s Rodri admission: Real Madrid can’t have players like him
19 Aug 2026 07:29 BST |
4 min read
News
Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has claimed that Los Blancos ‘can’t have players like’ Rodri after he completed his transfer to Barcelona from Manchester City.
Barca made the deal official on Tuesday, with the World Cup winner returning to his homeland in a deal worth €60 million.
Mourinho has claimed that after speaking to Rodri, he was left with doubts over the move and is entirely comfortable to have missed out on the midfield metronome.
Current ETV
Rodri
DM, M (C)
Barcelona
Rodri
DM, M (C)
Barcelona
ETV Range
€53.3M - €65.1M
Mourinho speaks out on Rodri snub
The Portuguese says that he doesn’t regret missing out on Rodri after talks with the player created an uneasy feeling in him.
“I don’t miss Rodri,” Mourinho told El Chiringuito (via Marca). “We have solutions, we have quality in our squad. I like to think I have the ability to improve players.
“I spoke with him a couple of times, and Real Madrid made him a very good offer. I think there's a very good relationship with City. Without negotiating with City, the club has been in contact with Rodri and made him a significant offer.
“Rodri had doubts, he hesitated... and Rodri's doubts created doubts for me.
“Real Madrid is of a stature that can't have players who think twice about it.”
Mourinho was then asked if Rodri’s decision could be interpreted as a first victory for Barcelona over Real Madrid this season.
“Victories are on the pitch, they're titles. That's where victories are,” Mourinho responded.
Real Madrid’s decision not to move for Rodri was a surprising one given how much they have missed a player who can control the tempo of a game in recent seasons, yet there are no plans on Mourinho’s part to seek an alternative.
“I’m not saying there won’t be any more signings because the market is open, but if you ask me directly if it’s closed for me… yes. It’s closed,” the coach said.
Mourinho on Vini Jr: He’s in love with Real Madrid
Vinicius Junior has also been a hot topic of transfer chatter around the Bernabeu this summer due to his expiring contract.
The Brazil international committed his long-term future to Real Madrid, and Mourinho denies having played a substantial role in that decision.
He said: “Vinicius is in love with Real Madrid. I just told him: 'Vini, where do you want to go? You've been in Brazil and at Madrid, you know what Madrid is like when you leave and it's not worth it.'
“I think what he's felt seeing the team grow has given him an important feeling.”
A successful summer for Real Madrid?
Real Madrid have had a busy summer in the transfer market, with Mourinho loading his squad with experienced players such as Marc Cucurella, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva and Ibrahima Konate.
But Los Blancos have also broken their transfer record to sign Yan Diomande in a deal worth €125 million, leaving a huge sense of expectation as the new season approaches.
Mourinho is regarded as a manager who brings instant results, and if he is still shrugging off Rodri’s decision to snub Real Madrid so easily at the end of the season, it will likely have been a successful one.
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