Real Madrid have made their first approach to Manchester City for Rodri, and the move has already moved beyond casual admiration. Rodri said in March, “You can't turn down the best clubs in the world”, and reports now say Madrid are ready to spend over €50 million on him.
Madrid's move from interest to talks
This is the clearest sign yet that Real Madrid have gone from keeping an eye on Rodri to pushing the deal. They have won four of their last five matches and finished second in La Liga in 2025, so the club are not coming at this from a position of panic.
Rodri's own words give the pursuit extra weight. The Spain midfielder's line about not turning down the best clubs in the world was always going to invite attention, and Madrid are now acting like a club willing to test that opening.
The fee is still part of the argument. Reports differ on valuation, with figures ranging from around €50 million to around €60 million, but the fact Madrid are already being linked with a spend above €50 million shows how serious the chase has become.
City's search for a successor
The harder part is not Madrid's interest. It is what Manchester City do if Rodri leaves.
Pep Guardiola has described him as “The best midfielder in the world by far”, and that fits the basic problem here. City may have already spent a club-record fee on Elliot Anderson as a possible successor, but that does not mean the job is solved. Anderson's 7.11 rating across eight World Cup appearances is respectable, yet it does not turn him into a like-for-like replacement for Rodri.
City's own recent form underlines why the club would rather not lose him. Their last five results include four wins, one draw and one defeat, and they finished second in the Premier League in 2025. The issue is not whether they stay competitive without Rodri, it is whether they can keep the same control through midfield.
Madrid have opened the door, Rodri has already hinted that a move home would be hard to refuse, and City are left trying to plan for a midfield they may not fully be able to recreate. The next question is whether the talks move on after this first approach, but the first step has already been made.
FAQ
Is Rodri close to joining Real Madrid?
Real Madrid have made their first approach to Manchester City for Rodri, and reports say they are ready to spend over €50 million. Rodri said in March that you can't turn down the best clubs in the world, which gives the move real momentum, but it is still a pursuit rather than a completed transfer.
Why would Manchester City struggle to replace Rodri?
Pep Guardiola described Rodri as the best midfielder in the world by far, which is a fair summary of why City face such a difficult problem. Sky Sports says City have already spent a club-record fee on Elliot Anderson as a possible successor, but the sources still suggest Rodri is the harder profile to replace.
What is Real Madrid's position in the Rodri transfer race?
Real Madrid have moved beyond long-standing admiration and into direct talks for Rodri. They have won four of their last five matches and finished second in La Liga in 2025, so the push is coming from a club already operating at the top end rather than one chasing a reset.
Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →
