Rodri has one year left on his Manchester City contract, and that has pulled Real Madrid, Barcelona and Paris Saint Germain into the same conversation. City would rather risk losing Rodri on a free transfer next summer than sanction a sale this window. He joined City in 2019 after they triggered his €70 million release clause.
Madrid, Barcelona and PSG all watching
Real Madrid are considered the favourites in the race, Barcelona have now entered the picture, and PSG have made initial contact. Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport said: "PSG have already approached City to enquire about the possibility of signing the 30-year-old." That sits alongside BBC Sport's reporting that Paris St-Germain have no plans to pursue a move for Manchester City's World Cup-winning Spain midfielder Rodri.
The disagreement matters because it leaves PSG's position unclear, while the wider market is easy to read. Rodri is still a high-end midfield option, he remains tied to Manchester City for one more year, and the clubs strongest on paper are already circling before the window has even settled.
City are not rushing the sale
City's stance is simple enough. They would rather keep Rodri for the final year of his deal than cash in now, even if that means taking the risk of losing him on a free next summer. His injury-hit 33 appearances last season underlined why the club still see him as central.
The timing is awkward for City because they finished second in the 2025 Premier League on 78 points, so the gap to the title was already there. Losing Rodri would only sharpen that problem. For now, though, he remains a City player, and the next move belongs to the clubs who are testing how serious the opening is.
Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 2 outlets. How we work →
