Rodri has made his preference unambiguous: Real Madrid or nothing, according to Diario AS, with Barcelona’s recent enquiry failing to register as a genuine alternative in the Manchester City midfielder’s thinking. The Spanish newspaper reports that the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner is unfazed by the Blaugrana’s interest and has a singular desire to return to his home city and play in white.
Rodri’s Stated Priority
Rodri has not been coy about his intentions. Speaking publicly earlier in the saga, he made clear that declining an offer from one of the world’s best clubs was not something he was prepared to do, and that the door on his end remained open. That has not changed since Barcelona entered the picture.
Diario AS report that despite an evident on-field chemistry with several Barcelona players through the Spain national team – Pedri and Lamine Yamal among them – Rodri has given no indication that Camp Nou holds any appeal. The only shirt he is thinking about is Real Madrid’s. Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich had also been linked at various points, but both pulled back from a move once it became clear he wanted the white shirt, according to Goal.
Barcelona’s interest, per Goal citing Cadena SER, has not yet progressed to a formal approach to Manchester City. Barcelona made contact with Rodri’s entourage but have yet to speak to City directly. Frenkie de Jong’s injury sparked Barcelona’s interest in Rodri, though the Catalan club have since learned where his priority lies. Barcelona’s focus remains on completing the signing of Cancelo and a striker following Robert Lewandowski’s departure, and Goal notes that after spending 110 million euros on Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi and Jesse Baesio, finding a further 75 million euros for Rodri would be very difficult.
Madrid’s Position Is More Complicated
The awkward reality for Rodri is that his preference is not yet matched by equal enthusiasm from Los Blancos. Diario AS reported earlier in the year that Rodri did not feature in the club’s future plans, and The Times noted that interest at the Bernabéu had cooled, with concerns about his fitness underpinning the hesitation.
The numbers behind those concerns are stark. Before his ACL tear in September 2024, Rodri missed just 3.4 percent of available days through injury at City. In the period since his return, that figure has risen to 34 percent. Madrid’s preference for targets with longer resale value – Rodri will be 30 at the start of next season – has also influenced their internal thinking. AS note that the club are looking for a centrocampista, the all-encompassing term for a midfielder who not only sits in front of the defence but can impact the game in other stages.
There is also a squad-management dimension to the equation. As recent reporting on Yan Diomandé and the Madrid midfield picture makes clear, there is currently space for only one addition in that position, meaning any Rodri deal would depend on an outgoing move first.
The Fee Gap and What Comes Next
Manchester City are understood to be holding firm at €75 million, while Madrid’s preference is to bring the figure down closer to €60 million. Rodri’s contract at the Etihad runs until June 2027, and options such as Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández and Newcastle’s Bruno Guimarães each carry their own complications as Madrid continue to weigh their midfield options ahead of the window’s close.
