Manchester City midfielder Rodri boldly claimed the “door is not closed” to Real Madrid, further fueling speculation of a blockbuster transfer this summer.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has not been shy about a potential move to the Bernabéu despite his contract with City running through the end of next season. Rodri, who was born in Madrid, previously dropped a loaded “we’ll see” when questioned about growing links to the 15-time European champions, but he was not so coy this time around.
“Would I like to play in Spain again? In La Liga, in Madrid? I would like to return, yes,” he told Spanish radio station Onda Cero.
“You can’t turn down one of the world’s best clubs. It doesn’t matter if they arrive at the match in a good or bad moment, Real Madrid is always Real Madrid. The door is not closed.”
Add us as a preferred source on GoogleRodri Is a Dream Transfer—But Also a Gamble
Two years ago, Madridistas would have been begging for Real Madrid to sign Rodri. The Spaniard is the best in the world at his position and would seamlessly fill the void left by Toni Kroos in the middle of the park.
Yet concerning fitness struggles and a decline—albeit slight—in form makes the dream transfer much more risky in 2026. The last thing Los Blancos need is another player who cannot stay healthy; an injury crisis is seemingly omnipresent at the Bernabéu these days, and splashing a hefty sum for a player who could gain a residency in the infirmary is unwise, even when he has the quality of Rodri.
Set to turn 30 this summer, the midfielder also does not align with the direction of the club, which has prioritized building a squad of young talent. More Real Madrid Castilla standouts are getting called up than ever before, and the average age of the first team is 25.
Still, Los Blancos are in desperate need of a deep-lying playmaker, and Rodri fits the profile. Should he avoid any more injury woes to close out the season and perform to his highest level for Spain at the 2026 World Cup, there likely won’t be much stopping Real Madrid from calling.
Club president Florentino Pérez will just have to hope his potential gamble pays off and Real Madrid avoid a repeat of Eden Hazard’s failed transfer.
Rodri’s Past Could Clash With Real Madrid
Age and fitness woes are not the only two things working against Rodri’s potential move to the Bernabéu. The Spain international previously played for arch rivals Atlético Madrid before he joined City ahead of the 2019–20 season.
Rodri, though, is not concerned about his past ties to Diego Simeone’s side. “Having played for Atlético before would not prevent me from playing for Real Madrid. There are other players who have done that before, maybe not direct transfers, but eventually.”
Indeed, players have featured for both Madrid-based clubs in Spain without much blow back, Los Blancos’ starting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois being one of them. Atlético Madrid fullback Marcos Llorente began his career in a white shirt as well, as did Álvaro Morata before eventually making the move to the Metropolitano.
There is also Rodri and Vinicius Junior’s past battle for the 2024 Ballon d’Or that could potentially pose a problem in the dressing room, but the City star played down any reports of a past feud between the two.
“I have nothing against Vini,” Rodri said. “I have maximum respect for him, for everything he did that Ballon d’Or year as well. It’s other people who decide who wins the Ballon d’Or. They tried to put us against each other, but that’s not the case.”
