Real Madrid have decided to push ahead with a move for Manchester City midfielder Rodri following a private meeting in the Spanish capital, according to reports in France and the UK.
The European champions have reportedly resolved to make the Spain international their priority target to succeed retired midfield great Toni Kroos, with club president Florentino Perez said to have changed his stance on the deal.
French newspaper L’Equipe says the Real Madrid hierarchy has now “settled” on Rodri as the player best suited to fill the deep-lying midfield role that Kroos occupied until his retirement two years ago. The club had previously considered the move too costly and were unconvinced about the timing.
However, Rodri’s importance for both Manchester City and Spain – and his profile as a technically gifted, tactically disciplined holding midfielder – has led Real to reconsider, the report adds.
Valuation gap between Real Madrid and Man City
Despite Real Madrid’s renewed determination, there remains a significant gap between the clubs over Rodri’s valuation.
The Spanish giants do not want to pay more than €60m (£50.6m) for the 28-year-old, while Manchester City are insisting on a fee in the region of €100m (£84.3m) before they would even contemplate a sale.
City view Rodri as one of the pillars of Pep Guardiola’s team, and he has been central to their recent domestic and European success. He scored the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final and has become one of the most highly rated holding midfielders in the world.
Real, for their part, have invested heavily in midfield in recent seasons with the signings of Jude Bellingham, Aurelien Tchouameni, Eduardo Camavinga and Federico Valverde, but see Rodri as the specialist pivot needed to fully replace Kroos and complete the next-generation engine room.
Secret Madrid meeting fuels transfer talk
Sky Sports reports that the likelihood of Rodri joining Real Madrid this summer has “increased” after a discreet meeting in a Madrid restaurant between club officials and the player’s representatives.
The gathering, described as “secret”, is said to have ended with Real’s board reaffirming their intent to keep working on a deal and to test City’s resolve over the coming weeks.
According to the same report, Real Madrid are preparing a long-term contract for Rodri that would run until 2030. The club is currently working to reach an agreement with the player on personal terms before intensifying negotiations with Manchester City over a transfer fee.
Long-term project at the Bernabeu
A contract until 2030 would place Rodri at the heart of Real Madrid’s long-term project, alongside a core of young stars already tied to lengthy deals.
Real’s strategy in recent years has focused on securing elite talents for the long term, and the pursuit of Rodri is being viewed internally as the final piece in rebuilding the midfield after the gradual decline of the legendary trio of Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro.
While no formal bid has yet been publicly confirmed, the reports from L’Equipe and Sky Sports suggest Real Madrid are now prepared to move decisively for Rodri – if they can find a way around Manchester City’s steep asking price.
For now, the deal hinges on whether City soften their stance on a player many consider irreplaceable, and whether Real Madrid are willing to stretch beyond their stated €60m ceiling to land the midfielder they see as Kroos’s true heir.
