Real Madrid is working to reach an agreement to sign Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri, according to The Athletic.

No formal negotiations have begun between the two clubs yet, but Real Madrid is confident of reaching an agreement and is moving on the basis that Rodri will join its ranks during the current summer transfer window.

Rodri (30) has entered the final year of his contract with Manchester City, which runs until summer 2027, while the English club continues dialogue with the player about his future and hopes to keep him in coach Enzo Maresca's squad for the 2026-2027 season.

Sources within Real Madrid had insisted all summer that Rodri was not in the club's plans, but the situation changed after his return from the World Cup; his performance and role in Spain's title win played a key role in the club's decision to pursue him.

If the deal goes through, Rodri will become the latest departure from Manchester City this summer, after the end of Pep Guardiola's ten-year era and Enzo Maresca taking over, along with the departures of John Stones and Bernardo Silva following the expiry of their contracts, with the latter moving to Real Madrid.

The Athletic reported on July 21 that Rodri's future talks with Manchester City would continue after the World Cup, where he won the Golden Ball as best player of the tournament after Spain beat Argentina in the final, but he had not shown a strong desire to renew his contract by then.

Rodri captained Spain in all eight of its World Cup matches and contributed to winning the world title after the European Championship triumph in 2024.

The player is expected to undergo surgery for a back problem, while his return date to the pitch has not been determined.

Rodri had spoken last March about his desire to return to play in Spain, saying: "I would like to return to La Liga, and I certainly want that. My previous stint with Atlético Madrid does not prevent me from representing Real Madrid; there are players who have done that before, perhaps not with direct transfers, but eventually it happened."

He added: "You cannot reject one of the best clubs in the world."

Rodri returned to the pitch with Manchester City in May 2025 after recovering from a cruciate ligament injury that kept him out for most of the 2024-2025 season, and played 33 matches in all competitions during the 2025-2026 season, interrupted by two spells out due to hamstring and thigh muscle injuries.

Manchester City strengthened its midfield this summer by signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million, and is also seeking to sign Moroccan Ayyoub Bouaddi (18) from Lille after his impressive World Cup.

When asked about Rodri's future in his first press conference with Manchester City, Enzo Maresca said: "It's natural for rumors to surround big players. I'm not worried about that. He won the World Cup and was one of the best players in the tournament, and every coach wants to have a player like Rodri."

He added: "He will undergo surgery, then he needs leave, rest and recovery, and after that he will return to us."

Rodri joined Manchester City from Atlético Madrid in 2019, and over seven seasons won four English Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups, plus the Champions League in 2023, when he scored the winning goal in the final.

He played 298 matches for Manchester City, scoring 28 goals and providing 32 assists.

Real Madrid correspondent Mario Cortegana believes that signing Rodri will be the most exciting news for the club's fans this summer, after fans repeatedly demanded the deal despite opposition from president Florentino Pérez and general manager José Ángel Sánchez in recent months.

He believes that everyone inside the club now sees Rodri as the ideal option for the holding midfield role, especially as he is one of the best players in the world in his position, led Spain to the World Cup title, and has always expressed his desire to return to his country and end his career there.

However, the deal is not without risks; Real Madrid is not usually inclined to invest large sums in players over 30, especially since Rodri suffered a serious knee injury in 2024, followed by recurring muscle injuries.

Nevertheless, his performance in the World Cup dispelled many doubts about his physical condition and refocused attention on the technical contribution he can make to the team.

Additionally, his leadership personality, experience, and professional style could give Real Madrid's dressing room a significant boost at a time when the team has experienced some internal problems over the past two seasons.

As for Manchester City correspondent Sam Lee, he sees this as the news that the club's fans feared.

He pointed out that City's management tried for more than a year to convince Rodri to renew his contract, and was keen not to let him enter the final year of his deal without signing, but his lack of agreement revealed that the idea of leaving had been on his mind for some time.

He added that those close to the player know that his dream for years has been to wear the Real Madrid shirt and return to the Spanish capital, despite his start with Atlético Madrid.

The surprise, according to Lee, was not in the player's desire, but in the change in Real Madrid's position itself, after its leadership, including Florentino Pérez and coach José Mourinho, had not considered signing him, before his World Cup brilliance changed that approach.

He believes that Rodri's departure will leave a big gap in Manchester City's midfield, and indeed in the entire team, because results have always been better with him, even after his return from the cruciate ligament injury.

He concludes that the club will have to find new solutions to replace him, at a time when the search for a replacement has already begun, while City fans will remain divided between those who understand his desire for a new experience and those who feel angry about his potential move to Real Madrid, especially after the controversy that accompanied his winning the 2024 Ballon d'Or ahead of Vinícius Júnior."); googletag.cmd.push(function() { onDvtagReady(function () { googletag.display('div-gpt-ad-3341368-4'); }); }); }