For Real, however, signing a new central midfielder is one of the priorities for the summer transfer window. After Toni Kroos (retiring in 2024) and Luka Modric (who moved to AC Milan in 2025) left the club in quick succession over the past two years – the two players who had previously shaped Real’s midfield together for a decade – the Royals opted not to bring in external replacements.
Instead, the departures were to be offset by the players already available: Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Dani Ceballos. Recently, however, the view has apparently grown among Real’s management that the club does indeed need to sign a new big-name player for the midfield.
Vitinha of Paris Saint-Germain and Enzo Fernandez of Chelsea FC were also considered top targets. However, due to their long-term contracts in Paris (Vitinha, 2029) and London (Fernandez, 2032), both are unlikely to be available in the short term. And if they were, it would likely be for significantly more money than, say, Rodri. In Vitinha’s case at least, there is reportedly a “gentlemen’s agreement” with PSG that he may leave the club if an offer of 100 million euros is made.
Rodri was born in Madrid and played for Real’s city rivals Atlético in his youth. He later made the leap to professional football at Villarreal, returned to Atlético in 2018 and moved on to Manchester a year later for a transfer fee of €70 million.
