Rodri has said he would like to return to Spain, and Real Madrid are reported to believe a deal can be done. Manchester City are still treating it as speculation, but the story has moved beyond idle chatter because the player himself has already opened the door.

Rodri's own words keep the move alive

In March, Rodri said he would like to return to Spain and added: “You can't turn down one of the world's best clubs.” That is the strongest line in the whole story, because it comes from the player rather than the rumour mill.

Maresca, who is quoted by two outlets, has taken a calmer line. He said: “For now, it's all just speculation. Rodri underwent surgery last Monday; everything went well. Now, a few days of rest and he'll be back with us when his vacation is over.” He also stressed: “It's very important. I said in the first press conference that any manager in the world wants Rodri, so it's important for me, for the club and for everyone but now he needs a holiday. He's very important when we need to play every three days.”

The transfer fee is still a moving target. TEAMtalk reported that Madrid believe a deal can be done for around €50 million, while City value him closer to €60 million. Sports Mole went further, saying the midfielder would be over £100m if he still had three or four years left on his deal.

Why Madrid think the timing works

The pitch for Madrid is not hard to see. Rodri underwent back surgery last Monday, and the reporting around his recovery says he needs a short period of rest before returning. Madrid are also said to be confident enough to keep pushing.

His recent tournament minutes only add to that picture. Rodri has played every minute of Spain's last two wins, 180 minutes in all, and averaged a 7.32 rating across his five most recent World Cup matches. In his last three World Cup games, that average was 7.23.

That level matters because it suggests a midfielder who is still functioning at a high standard even with the surgery and the transfer noise circling. Madrid finished second in La Liga with 86 points in 2025, so the argument for adding a control-heavy midfielder is an easy one to make.

City, though, have reasons to be wary. Sports Mole said Rodri has played only 24 Premier League matches over the last two seasons, and Manchester City lost 2 of their last 5 club matches in the data pack. Losing him again, whether temporarily or permanently, would leave a very obvious gap in midfield.

Rodri is not gone, and no one is claiming he is. But his own quote, the fee chatter and the recovery update have kept this alive, and Madrid look more confident than they did a few months ago.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 6 outlets. How we work →