Real Madrid step up Rodri pursuit as Man City face uncertain contract situation

Real Madrid step up Rodri pursuit as Man City face uncertain contract situation Real Madrid are reportedly growing increasingly confident of signing Manchester City midfielder Rodri before the close of the transfer window. According to The Athletic , the Spanish giants are working on a deal for the Spain international despite formal negotiations between the two clubs yet to begin. Madrid are understood to believe an agreement can ultimately be reached, although Manchester City remain determined to retain one of the world’s best midfielders. Rodri has entered the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium. City continue to hold talks with the 30-year-old over an extension, but no agreement has yet been reached. The European giants had previously insisted Rodri was not part of their summer plans.  However, that position reportedly changed following his inspirational performances at the 2026 World Cup. The midfielder captained Spain throughout the tournament and was awarded the Golden Ball after leading his country to a 1-0 victory over Argentina in the final. Those displays are said to have convinced Real Madrid that Rodri remains the ideal player to anchor their midfield for the coming years. The Spain international has never hidden his desire to return to La Liga before the end of his career. Speaking during the March international break, Rodri admitted he would welcome the opportunity to play in Spain again and acknowledged that representing Real Madrid would not be ruled out despite beginning his professional career with Atletico Madrid. Any transfer would still involve a degree of risk for the Spanish club. Rodri is approaching his 31st birthday and is preparing to undergo surgery on a back problem following the World Cup. He also battled back impressively from the serious ACL injury that disrupted much of his 2024-25 campaign before returning to play a key role for both club and country. For Manchester City, losing Rodri would represent another significant change during a summer of transition. Enzo Maresca has taken over as head coach following Pep Guardiola’s departure, while Bernardo Silva and John Stones have already left after their contracts expired. City have responded by strengthening their midfield options with the signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and continue to monitor other reinforcements. Maresca recently played down speculation surrounding Rodri’s future, insisting that interest from Europe’s biggest clubs is inevitable for a player of his calibre. Whether Real Madrid can now turn that interest into a completed transfer is likely to depend on two factors: Rodri’s willingness to leave Manchester and City’s resolve to keep one of the cornerstones of their team.