Rodri reacts as Barça show interest

Rodri is clear about his future. In recent hours, FC Barcelona have shown interest in the Manchester City midfielder’s situation. The world champion has only one year remaining on his contract, and several clubs have already explored a possible move, including Paris Saint-Germain, FC Bayern Munich and, most recently, Barcelona.

The City midfielder still has doubts about his future yet is barely considering alternatives. If he were to leave Manchester, there appears to be only one destination that truly appeals to him: Real Madrid. Despite interest from across Europe, Rodri’s priority is to wear the white shirt. That desire to return to LaLiga and to Madrid, together with his strong World Cup performances and Mourinho’s approval, has led Real Madrid to seriously study the possibility of signing him.

The player’s intentions are well known among his suitors. Despite Barcelona’s interest, Rodri reportedly has only Real Madrid in mind. Clubs such as PSG and Bayern are said to have cooled their interest after becoming aware of his preference for a move to the Bernabéu. Barcelona, meanwhile, have merely made an exploratory approach through his representatives and have not yet contacted Manchester City directly, according to SER.

The injury to Frenkie de Jong has prompted the Catalan club to monitor Rodri’s situation, but they are also aware of his priorities. In addition, Barcelona have other urgent needs in the market. Their main objectives are to complete the signings of João Cancelo and a striker following Robert Lewandowski’s departure. That spending, together with the €110 million (about $128 million) already invested in Gordon, Adeyemi and Bisiwu, makes it difficult to imagine another major outlay on the Spanish midfielder.

Real Madrid remain optimistic about the operation, although they are proceeding cautiously. Manchester City are asking for €75 million (around $87 million) to let Rodri leave, while Madrid hope to lower that figure. Their target is to complete the deal for roughly €60 million (about $70 million). For the signing to happen, the club would need to move on at least one player, as only one registration place remains in the squad and there would not currently be room for both Diomandé and Rodri.

While Real Madrid continue working on the transfer, the Spanish international is enjoying a well-earned holiday after being crowned world champion and is still recovering from a minor back procedure. Rodri is currently in Montenegro, spending time on the Adriatic coast.

He reportedly chose Montenegro because many elite athletes vacation there for the relative media privacy it offers, allowing him to rest while continuing to wait for developments regarding a possible move to Real Madrid.

Get closer to the game! Whether you like your soccer of the European variety or that on this side of the pond, our AS USA app has it all. Dive into live coverage, expert insights, breaking news, exclusive videos, and more. Plus, stay updated on NFL, NBA and all other big sports stories as well as the latest in current affairs and entertainment. Download now for all-access coverage, right at your fingertips – anytime, anywhere.

And there’s more: check out our TikTok and Instagram reels for bite-sized visual takes on all the biggest soccer news and insights.