Real Madrid reportedly wanted to sell Fede Valverde during the summer 2026 transfer window, but the Uruguay midfielder refused to leave despite having a contract with the club until 2029.
Journalist Miguel Latigo Serrano, who writes for OK Diario, said Real Madrid’s attempt to move Valverde on ultimately affected their plans to sign Rodri.
“Real Madrid wanted to sell Valverde this summer. But what happened was that the player, exercising his employment right to see out his contract, said something along the lines of: ‘I will not leave under any circumstances’,” Serrano said, according to Defensa Central.
Valverde’s position came after a serious incident involving team-mate Aurelien Tchouameni. The pair became involved in an argument which resulted in Valverde being taken to hospital after Tchouameni struck him.
Medical staff treated Valverde for concussion, and the midfielder missed several matches before returning in the closing rounds of La Liga with a small bandage covering a wound on his forehead.
Real Madrid subsequently opened disciplinary proceedings against both players and fined them up to €500,000. It was the first incident of its kind at the club.
The midfielders faced widespread criticism at the time, while sections of the Real Madrid support called for both players to leave during the summer transfer window. Neither departed, however, and manager Jose Mourinho was the first to publicly welcome the prospect of having Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni available to him.
According to Serrano, Valverde’s refusal to leave may have been one of the reasons Rodri did not join Real Madrid during the same summer.
“The club moved late for Rodri because they did not trust him. He was a signing made in response to the supporters’ wishes, based on an opinion poll,” said Serrano, who runs a YouTube channel with more than 50,000 subscribers.
“They wanted to sell Valverde, but he did not want to leave. Real Madrid therefore found themselves forced to keep Valverde.”
Rodri, formerly of Manchester City, has offered a different account of Real Madrid’s approach. Speaking to Cadena COPE, he said the Spanish club had shown interest from the beginning.
“From my position, I have to say that Real Madrid showed interest from the very first moment and dealt with the situation perfectly. The offers they made were aimed at signing the player, and I want to make that clear as well,” Rodri said.
Mourinho also stated publicly that Real Madrid had insisted on signing Rodri. However, the player’s hesitation became an obstacle to completing his move to the Santiago Bernabeu.
