Man City transfer news: Clear stance on Rodri future ‘revealed’ after bombshell Real Madrid comments

Manchester City’s stance over the future of Rodri has reportedly become clear following the midfielder’s bombshell comments about a proposed transfer to Real Madrid in the future.

The 29-year-old joined the Citizens from Real’s rivals Atletico Madrid in 2019 and has since established himself as one of the best midfielders in world football.

Rodri is a four-time Premier League winner who has won 12 trophies in total as a City player, memorably scoring the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final to complete a historic treble for the club that season.

The Spain international has made close to 300 appearances across all competitions for Man City, scoring 28 goals and adding 32 assists, and has been hugely influential at the base of Pep Guardiola’s midfield, with his absence often felt by the Citizens.

After being recognised as the best player on the planet with his 2024 Ballon d’Or triumph, Rodri endured a troubled 18-month spell on the sidelines, after sustaining an ACL injury in September 2024.

Rodri has since played regular for Pep Guardiola’s side in 2026 and was part of the Citizens team that beat Arsenal in the EFL Cup final at Wembley Stadium last weekend.

Rodri is now away with Spain on international duty, but he has set off alarm bells at the Etihad after admitting that he would like to return to his homeland in the future, and joining Real Madrid “isn’t a closed door for me”.

Speculation over his future has intensified as a result, with the midfielder to enter the final 12 months of his contract on the blue side of Manchester in the summer.

Rodri has said that he and Man City’s hierarchy “will have to sit down and talk” about his contract situation “at some point”.

Man City keen to keep Rodri despite his Real Madrid admission

According to Sky Sports News, Rodri remains a player that Man City would prefer to keep and they would like to agree a new contract with the Spaniard.

The report adds that the Citizens are not commenting on Rodri's latest interview, which was conducted prior to Spain’s international friendlies against Serbia and Egypt over the next two weeks.

Man City given major Rodri transfer headache before the summer

Should Man City fail to agree fresh terms with Rodri over a new contract, the club may consider cashing in on the midfielder this summer to avoid losing him for free in June 2027.

Whenever the times comes for Man City to part ways with Rodri, replacing a player Guardiola has previously calls 'irreplaceable' will be a monumental task.

Speculation over Rodri’s future comes at a time when the Citizens are already bracing themselves for losing captain Bernardo Silva, who is out of contract this summer.

The prospect of losing not one, but two key midfielders, two key leaders at the club, is a daunting one for Man City supporters, and it highlights the need for the Sky Blues to prioritise midfield reinforcements imminently.

Nottingham Forest’s Elliott Anderson is believed to be one of City’s leading targets, while the likes of Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton and Brighton & Hove Albion’s Carlos Baleba are also said to be on their radar.

How Real Madrid could line up with Rodri and three more summer signings next season