How Real Madrid could line up with Rodri and three more summer signings next season as transfer rumours intensify

The summer transfer window is still a few months away, but that has not stopped the rumour mill linking a plethora of elite players with a high-profile switch to Spanish giants Real Madrid.

Midfield reinforcements could be on the cards and one player admired by Los Blancos for some time in Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, whose long-term future at the Etihad Stadium has come into question.

The 29-year-old will soon be entering the final 12 months of his contract with Pep Guardiola’s side and he has sent shockwaves through the blue side of Manchester by refusing to rule out a transfer to Real Madrid in the future, despite his Atletico Madrid connections.

Rodri is expecting to “sit down and talk” with Man City’s hierarchy about his future, and should they not come to an agreement over a new deal, the Citizens may consider cashing in on the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner to avoid losing him for free in June 2027.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid have also been heavily linked with a big-money move for Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, who is purportedly 'dreaming' of signing for the La Liga giants, despite doubling down on recent claims he made over his future.

Paris Saint-Germain right-back Achraf Hakimi is another global star who would allegedly be prepared to push for a transfer to Real Madrid, who are also believed to be one of several European clubs interested in Borussia Dortmund centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck.

Here, Sports Mole takes a look at how Real Madrid could line up ahead of the 2026-27 season, should they bring in some of their leading targets.

Real Madrid XI with Rodri, Fernandez, Schlotterbeck and Hakimi

Real Madrid’s ethos is built on an attacking, attractive brand of football, and while that core identity remains, the tactical set-up for 2026-27 could be tweaked under head coach Alvaro Arbeloa.

Should the former Los Blancos defender extend his stay in the dugout beyond this season, fans could see a fluid 4-4-2 diamond system implemented more often, especially if certain top targets are recruited in the summer.

The potential arrival of Rodri would be transformative; he would sit at the base of the midfield, dictate the tempo of games from deep positions, provide exceptional defensive anticipation to break up play, while also having license on occasions to drive forward and provide a goal threat, as he does at Man City.

While Eduardo Camavinga has been linked with a ‘big-money’ switch to the Premier League this summer, Rodri would provide fierce competition for Aurelien Tchouameni in a star-studded engine room featuring Enzo Fernandez, Federico Valverde and Jude Bellingham.

Rodri deployed as a single pivot would allow Fernandez and Valverde to operate as advanced No.8s, with Bellingham having the freedom to roam as a No.10 and provide support for Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Junior up front.

The terrifying attacking partnership of Mbappe and Junior remains the gold standard. Fellow forward Rodrygo is set to miss the first half of next season with a serious knee injury, but it will be interesting to see whether teenage sensation Endrick can force his way back into the first-team fold following his productive loan spell at Lyon.

Real Madrid’s fairly narrow midfield diamond would naturally invite their full-backs to act as the primary source of width. Hakimi, widely regarded as one of the most complete attack-minded right-backs in world football, would be the ideal fit for this high-octane role, though Trent Alexander-Arnold would presumably have plenty to say about that.

Competition for the left-back position remains fierce, with Alvaro Carreras, Fran Garcia and Ferland Mendy all vying for a starting role, while the potential addition of ball-playing left-footed defender Schlotterbeck could see him form a formidable partnership with Dean Huijsen in front of the ever-reliable goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

Signing a new centre-back such as Schlotterbeck could soon become a priority for Real Madrid, as Antonio Rudiger and David Alaba are both out of contract in the summer. Eder Militao and Raul Asencio, meanwhile, will likely remain options for next season, but the former has been hampered with injury issues and may require time to get close to his best.