Rodri is expected to miss the start of the 2026-27 season after reported surgery on a mystery injury once Spain's World Cup campaign ends. The concern for Manchester City is immediate, because the worst-case scenario already points to an absence that stretches into September at the earliest.
City's early fixtures without Rodri
That leaves Enzo Maresca with a problem before the season properly gets going. The Standard says City could be without Rodri for the Community Shield against Arsenal on August 16, then for the opening Premier League matches as well. Their league opener is at home to Bournemouth a week after that, and the Manchester derby is scheduled for the weekend of September 12.
City do not need much reminding of how tight the margins are at the top. They finished second in the Premier League with 78 points, scored 77 goals and conceded 35, which is a decent reminder that their balance still depends on a functioning midfield. Arsenal, meanwhile, have won their last five matches, so the first few games already carry enough edge without taking Rodri out of the picture.
The contract layer around the injury
The injury is the headline, but the contract situation adds another layer. Rodri is entering the final 12 months of his Manchester City deal and can sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs on January 1. That does not mean a move is coming, and it would be premature to treat it that way, but it does mean City are already dealing with uncertainty on more than one front.
Manchester Evening News also reported that City declined to comment on the surgery claim. For now, the strongest reading is still a cautious one: Rodri's absence is reported rather than officially confirmed, but the expected timeline is serious enough to matter straight away. If he is unavailable for the Community Shield and the early league run, City start the season short of the player who anchors a lot of what they do.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →