Rodri’s future has become a straight valuation fight. Real Madrid have opened initial talks with Manchester City for Rodri, and talkSPORT says the Spain midfielder wants the move. City are not being pushed into anything close to the opening figures being floated, and their stance has only hardened as the wider midfield picture shifts.

City’s price for Rodri

The reported numbers are all over the place, but the gap is clear enough. talkSPORT said Madrid have opened talks with a €50 million (£42m) opening offer, while City value Rodri significantly higher. Another report put City’s asking price close to €70 million. However the final figure lands, the club that triggered his £62.6m release clause from Villarreal in 2019 are not treating this like a cut-price sale.

That part matters because Rodri’s contract runs to 2027, which gives City leverage. It also means Madrid are trying to force a deal before the position changes again, rather than wait for the price to drift down on its own.

The Bouaddi factor

The key twist is Ayyoub Bouaddi. talkSPORT reported that City may be more inclined to let Rodri leave if they sign the Lille midfielder, or another replacement. Bouaddi is 18 and Lille are seeking €100 million (£86m) for him, so this is not some simple fallback plan.

That is why the Rodri story has moved beyond a single fee dispute. City are not just deciding what Rodri is worth, they are deciding whether their own midfield rebuild can justify losing him at all. If they add a high-end alternative, the exit becomes more realistic. If they do not, Madrid’s opening bid looks like a probe rather than a serious breakthrough.

Rodri’s City record explains why Madrid are willing to try. He has won 11 major trophies at the club, including the Champions League and four Premier League titles, and he spent six years in Atletico Madrid's academy before a five-year spell at Villarreal. That is a proper elite profile, which is exactly why City still want a fee that reflects it.

The next concrete dates are not far away. City face Arsenal's Community Shield on 2026-08-16, while Madrid's next listed fixture is 2026-08-22 at Espanyol. Any movement on Rodri will need to happen against that backdrop, not in theory.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →