Man City want to beat Real Madrid to the punch and offer Rodri a new contract

A year and a half ago, when Real Madrid discredited his Ballon d’Or—bitter that Vinicius Junior hadn’t won it—Manchester City stood up in defense of Rodri. Now, he will have to defend himself from that same Real Madrid. And it’s all because of – Rodri.

In recent days, there has been plenty of talk about the Royal Club’s interest in the Spanish international. Reportedly, Real want to strengthen their midfield this summer, and Rodri’s player profile fits perfectly with what those at the Santiago Bernabeu believe the team needs: an experienced player who is also a leader and a winner.

Everything the Manchester City midfielder is. Rodri himself fueled the rumors of a return to Spain during the international break. In an interview with local media, the defensive midfielder openly spoke about his desire to return home, adding that you can’t turn down the best clubs in the world—clearly referring to Real.

“I would like to return to La Liga; I still follow it. I never planned to play outside Spain, but then City came along. The Premier League is my weakness—an exciting league, but also very demanding. It pushes you to the limit. I’ve been there for seven years now and I can feel time passing. But at the moment, I’m happy there. I have one more year left on my contract, and the time will come when we’ll have to sit down and talk,” Rodri said last Thursday.

Rodri sends "pick me" message to Real Madrid: Bernabeu is always incredible

That moment seems to have already arrived. As he himself pointed out, his contract with Manchester City runs until the summer of 2027, which in itself prompts the club’s leadership to react. His statement appears to have accelerated things, as reports suggest the ten-time English champions have offered Rodri a contract extension.

Talks over a new deal had already begun last summer when, according to the same source, the club prepared an offer that would keep the 29-year-old until the summer of 2029, making him the second-highest-paid player in the squad—right behind Erling Haaland.

From the Etihad, they wanted to show they still believed in the Spaniard, who had only recently recovered from a serious ACL injury. For some reason, negotiations went quiet in the meantime, but a few months later Manchester City have returned with the same idea—to extend Rodri’s stay in England.

Whether the offer remains the same is unknown, as Fabrizio Romano has not revealed the details. However, he adds that if Rodri rejects it, Manchester City will demand a significant transfer fee, despite the fact that as early as January 2027 he would be free to negotiate with other clubs—and leave on a free transfer once his contract expires.

The final decision will be Rodri’s, and he is well aware of Real Madrid’s interest. As he said in the aforementioned interview, the fact that he previously played for Atletico would not prevent him from joining their city rivals.