Manchester City have moved to cool mounting speculation in Spain by insisting they have not received any formal offer from Real Madrid for Rodri, despite growing calls in Madrid for the Spain captain to be signed this summer.
The Premier League champions told Spanish newspaper AS that no bid or official contact has been made by the Bernabeu club regarding the midfielder, whose outstanding performances at the recent World Cup have fuelled rumours of a high-profile move.
City officials, quoted by AS, underlined that the situation around the player is “completely calm” inside the club and stressed they are not concerned about his immediate future. Rodri still has one year left on his contract, a position the English side believe leaves them in a strong negotiating position should anything develop later in the window.
The Manchester club have emphatically denied receiving an offer from Real Madrid and rejected suggestions that any formal talks or negotiations are under way. From City’s perspective, the current noise is being driven purely by Rodri’s form on the world stage, where he reminded clubs of his quality after a long spell out injured.
Pressure grows on Real Madrid hierarchy
The clarification from City comes as pressure intensifies on Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and his board from both supporters and media to reinforce Jose Mourinho’s midfield options with the addition of Rodri.
According to AS, the push from the Real Madrid fanbase to sign the Spaniard has been building throughout the current transfer window, reflecting the belief that he could be a key piece in Mourinho’s squad. While similar campaigns from supporters have emerged around other players in previous years, Spanish reports suggest the clamour for Rodri is notably stronger, largely due to his displays at the World Cup.
Rodri, who wears the armband for Spain, missed a significant chunk of last season after choosing to halt his campaign midway through in order to focus fully on recovering from a serious knee injury. His decision to prioritise a complete recovery appears to have paid off, with his World Cup performances widely viewed as proof that he has returned to his best level.
Those appearances at the tournament are said to have pushed his name back to the front of the transfer market, particularly in Spain, where there is a belief that his profile and style would fit Real Madrid’s midfield.
Minor surgery planned before new season
AS reports that Rodri is currently preparing to undergo minor back surgery to resolve an ongoing issue. The procedure is described as straightforward, and the plan in place anticipates that he will be ready to return in time for the start of the new season in late August.
That timetable is expected to apply regardless of which club he represents, with Manchester City keen to retain him but the player still potentially facing an uncertain future while the transfer window remains open.
With more than a month still to go before the summer transfer deadline, a range of possibilities remains open. Media reports in Spain claim Rodri is interested in a new challenge in La Liga and views playing for Real Madrid as a primary objective in the next stage of his career.
No talks despite strong club relations
Despite that, sources cited by AS say both Real Madrid and Manchester City are, for now, aligned on one key point: there has been no progress at all on any potential transfer.
No meetings have taken place between the clubs, no formal negotiations have started and no agreement of any kind has been reached. For the moment, the situation is described as static, with the speculation outpacing any concrete movement behind the scenes.
AS also notes that the relationship between Real Madrid and Manchester City is among the best between Europe’s elite clubs, with regular and direct communication channels in place. Even so, Real Madrid have yet to make an official move for Rodri and have not contacted City’s hierarchy specifically about the player.
Until that changes, all talk of a possible transfer remains in the realm of rumour and conjecture rather than an active deal in progress.
