LONDON: Real Madrid are ready to make a £100 million bid for Manchester City star Rodri this summer.
New Madrid manager Xabi Alonso put the Spanish midfielder as his main target after his team lost badly to PSG in the semi-finals of the Club World Cup earlier this month.
Although City manager Pep Guardiola will certainly be reluctant to let go of his central midfielder with his absence for most of last season being one of the main factors in City missing out on the Premier League championship, Madrid believes the Etihad club may be tempted by a mega offer.
Rodri, 29, was sidelined from September until the end of last season following serious ACL and meniscus injuries suffered in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal.
He only made one appearance in the starting line-up and three from the bench at the Club World Cup, but only lasted 37 minutes in the match against Al Hilal in the round of 16 as City suffered a shock defeat, before experiencing new problems.
Uncertainty over Rodri’s actual physical condition is among the factors that may lead Real to take a wait-and-see approach, given his contract at City only expires in 2027.
This means the Bernabeu club can fully assess his fitness level over the next 12 months, while the player’s market value is also expected to decline as his contract nears the end.
But Alonso is understood to be urging Real’s management to present a bid now, as they are aware City may try to offer Rodri a long-term contract extension if his fitness fully recovers.
Real believe the former Atletico man, who hails from the Spanish capital and moved to the Premier League in a £62.8 million move six years ago, may be open to a return to his homeland.
Alonso is said to have been very surprised by the weakness of his team’s midfield when they were beaten by PSG, where they failed to match the movement and intensity of players like Vitinha, Joao Neves and Fabian Ruiz.
The situation led him to urge that the midfield be strengthened and Rodri, who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or despite missing the final three months of the season due to surgery, was seen as the perfect solution.
Guardiola has never hidden how important Rodri is to his squad.
After Rodri was introduced against Juventus in the US, Pep said: “Everyone knows how important Rodri is.
“He’s one of the best players in the world. If he’s not in the squad, the loss will be felt deeply.”
City signed Spanish midfielder Nico Gonzalez from Porto for £50 million in January and also brought in Dutch international Tijjani Reijnders before the Club World Cup and Norwegian teenager Sverre Nypan last week.
But it remains unclear whether they can truly replace Rodri and Guardiola is seen as less inclined to sell.
However, Madrid are willing to test City’s resilience ahead of the final few weeks of the summer transfer window.