Real Madrid have stepped up their pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Rodri after holding secret talks with the Spain international’s representatives in the Spanish capital, according to reports in France and the UK.
The European champions are said to have made the 28‐year‐old their priority to fill the long-term void left by retired Germany star Toni Kroos, with club president Florentino Perez reportedly reversing his initial doubts over the deal.
However, Real’s willingness to pay and Manchester City’s valuation remain far apart, setting up what could become one of the summer’s most high‐profile transfer stand‐offs.
Perez changes stance as Rodri identified as Kroos successor
French newspaper L’Equipe reports that Real Madrid’s hierarchy has “decided to press ahead” with an attempt to sign Rodri, having concluded that a player of his profile is essential to anchor their midfield in the coming years.
The club had been searching for a long-term replacement for Kroos, who ended his illustrious career with Real and Germany in 2024. The report adds that the Spanish giants are now convinced Rodri is the closest like‐for‐like successor in terms of tactical intelligence, passing range and control of tempo.
L’Equipe says this shift comes after Perez, who was “not convinced” at first about committing to such an expensive midfield signing, changed his position and gave the green light for negotiations to advance.
Major gap over fee as City hold firm
Despite their determination to land the player, Real Madrid are not prepared to meet Manchester City’s current asking price, the reports claim.
L’Equipe states that Real do not want to pay more than €60m (£50.5m) for Rodri, while Premier League champions City are insisting on a fee in the region of €100m (£84m) to even consider a sale.
That €40m difference could prove decisive, with City under no immediate pressure to sell one of Pep Guardiola’s most influential players. Rodri has been central to City’s recent domestic and European success, and is widely regarded as one of the best holding midfielders in world football.
Secret Madrid meeting boosts transfer chances
In a separate report, Sky Sports says the chances of Rodri moving to the Bernabeu this summer “are increasing” after what it describes as a secret meeting in a Madrid restaurant.
According to the broadcaster, the discreet gathering brought together senior Real Madrid officials and representatives of Rodri. The summit is said to have ended with Real’s board deciding to “continue working” intensively to complete the signing.
Sky Sports adds that Real Madrid are preparing a long‐term contract for the player, which would run until 2030, underscoring how central they see Rodri to their future plans.
Contract on the table as personal terms discussed
The Spanish club are now focused on reaching an agreement with Rodri on personal terms, the reports say.
Real are working on the details of a contract proposal that would tie the midfielder to the club for six years, aligning with their recent strategy of locking key players into lengthy deals to secure stability and fend off rival interest.
Any final agreement with Rodri, however, will still hinge on Real and Manchester City finding common ground over the transfer fee – a hurdle that, for now, remains significant.
With the summer window progressing and top European clubs finalising their squads, the tug of war over Rodri looks set to be one of the defining transfer stories of the coming weeks.
