Rodri’s time at Manchester City appears to be coming to an end.
The Spaniard has one year left on his current deal and the Premier League side are well aware that time is against them in their bid to retain his services. Rodri was Spain’s hero at the World Cup this summer, claiming the tournament’s Golden Ball award. It follows his Player of the Tournament won at Euro 2024 — being key to another Spanish success.
Just months after lifting the Euro 2024 trophy with Spain, Rodri suffered a serious ACL injury. It ruled him out for most of the 2024/25 season, and saw him on crutches as he picked up the 2024 Ballon d’Or. Even last season, Rodri failed to hit the same heights, with just 17 league stats.
Few expected Rodri to dominate in the middle of the park in North America. And yet, he did. Spain ranked third for their 64% possession at the World Cup, with Rodri (811) attempting more passes than any other player.
And now Rodri looks set to return to sunny Spain. With a back injury ruling Rodri out of the start of the season, it’s feasible to suggest he has already played his last Man City game. And he seemingly has his choices.
In this article, we’ll cover:
Why Real Madrid want Rodri
Real Madrid have had a hectic summer transfer window so far. Los Blancos have already brought in Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Carlos Espi and Yan Diomande. The midfield, though, has been a little overlooked. They need a shield to protect the backline, particularly with Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga reportedly up for grabs.
In truth, Rodri would elevate this Real Madrid side. However, off-field matters may impact their pursuit of the 30-year-old. Presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme used Rodri as a means to convince members to vote for him.
Riquelme lost out to the Real Madrid titan himself Florentino Perez. The Los Blancos supremo is reluctant to sign a player who featured heavily in his rival’s campaign. Factor in the Ballon d’Or 2024 triumph, one that Vinicius Junior was expected to win, and the midfielder’s advancing years, and Real Madrid are understandably reluctant to push too hard for Rodri.
This comes despite their need for a tempo-setter in the style of Rodri. Jose Mourinho’s current central midfield options don’t bring the same control that Rodri offers in the middle of the park. It’s a position full of midfield runners to allow the likes of Vinicius Junior, Kylian Mbappe and Jude Bellingham the chance to wreak havoc in the final third.
It would be a lot of pressure on Rodri to follow suit. Admittedly he’s an intimidating figure in the middle of the park. He glides across the pitch, with his possession-retaining ability his strongest asset. However, for a player who has endured fitness issues over the past two years, relying on Rodri to cover that amount ground in the middle of the park would be detrimental to the midfielder himself.
Barcelona to beat Los Blancos for World Cup star?
Granted, Mourinho would partner Rodri with a runner in the favoured 4-2-3-1 formation. Saying that, would it really be enough to convince Real Madrid to spend big on the midfielder? And even then, would Rodri even want to play in such a setup?
His approach is tailored towards possessional dominance. This goes some way to explaining why the player himself favours a switch to Barcelona. The Blaugrana have entered the race for Rodri as cover for the injured Frenkie de Jong. For a team that controls proceedings, it’s a far better match for the player’s skillset.
That’s not to say Real Madrid didn’t dominate in La Liga last season. Their 59.4% possession average was only to. Barcelona’s 69%. Hansi Flick’s side boasted the best pass accuracy (90%), too. No prizes for guessing which team finished top for passes per 90 minutes.
Barcelona a better fit
Factor in that a bulk of Rodri’s Spain teammates – Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal – ply their trade for Barcelona, and preference for red and blue over white makes sense. His style of play better suits the gameplan Flick implements. The German favours a high defensive line, which would be far less exposed with Rodri shielding the backline.
A move, though, is only going to come to fruition should Barcelona sell first. They’ve already signed Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi. A replacement for Robert Lewandowski is also a priority, with Julian Alvarez remaining a top target. Barcelona, though, are a club that can make the transfer work. Is there another lever to pull?
Rodri would be a statement signing for both Spanish sides. He’s a serial winner and the best in the business in his position. If Barcelona can make the move happen, then they should be working overtime to ensure Rodri turns out at Camp Nou next season. After all, he’s better geared towards Barcelona.