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Real Madrid have identified Manchester City‘s Rodri as their top midfield target, and the club now appears willing to cash in on Aurelien Tchouameni to fund the transfer. The World Cup Golden Ball winner, who starred in Spain’s tournament triumph, has generated serious internal pressure on president Florentino Perez, who has reportedly given the green light for a move.
Maresca Insists Rodri Returns to City After Surgery
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca addressed the speculation in a recent interview via journalist Ben Jacobs, striking a confident tone about the player’s future at the club.
“Around big players there is always speculation. I am not worried about that. It is normal. And they [Spain] won the World Cup, and he was the best player.”
“Every manager wants to have Rodri because he’s a top player. But now it is surgery [on a back issue], I think on Monday, and then he needs a holiday and to rest and recover, and then he will be back here with us.”
Maresca’s comments are the clearest possible signal that City consider Rodri part of their plans. A transfer, by his account, is not imminent or straightforward.
Real Madrid’s Internal Conviction Grows
Despite prolonged uncertainty, Los Blancos are said to have reached a firm decision to pursue the signing. The Spanish club had hesitated earlier, partly due to Rodri’s indirect associations with Enrique Riquelme’s presidential campaign. His performances at the World Cup shifted that calculus.
What gives Real Madrid genuine leverage is Rodri’s contract situation. With just one year remaining on his deal at the Etihad, City’s negotiating position is structurally weak. A sufficiently strong offer would be difficult to reject outright.
The back surgery does introduce a complication. Should a transfer happen, Rodri would miss the opening weeks of the new season — a factor that will register in Madrid’s planning. Still, the long-term profile of the player, a controlling presence capable of dictating tempo at the highest level, appears to outweigh any short-term availability concerns at the Bernabeu.
Read also: Rodri waiting for Real Madrid Move as Manchester City Contract Talks Stall
The involvement of Manchester United as a competing suitor adds another layer of complexity to an already tense situation. Stay with TipsGG for the latest updates as this transfer saga develops.