Rodrigo: key to Real Madrid’s ‘project 2025′

Although the 2024-25 season has just begun (with the UEFA Super Cup already in the bag), Real Madrid is actively working behind the scenes at the Bernabéu, setting major objectives to strengthen the sporting project with an eye on the 2025-26 campaign. As previously reported by AS, Alphonso Davies, now 23, is already lined up to join the club next summer on a free transfer. Bayern Munich failed to convince the Canadian to accept their generous renewal offer, meaning Davies will join at no cost, just like Kylian Mbappé, with no transfer fee involved.

However, the ‘big fish’ will be another. The current dream shared by everyone at the club, from the president to the sporting directors, with Juni Calafat and Carlo Ancelotti leading the charge, is the signing of Rodrigo Hernández.

The brilliant Spanish midfielder from Manchester City (let’s not forget he was named MVP at this summer’s European Championship in Germany) has become a priority target for Real Madrid. The painful departure of Toni Kroos (in elite football, there’s no one like him) has forced Madrid to seek player profiles with at least some similar qualities, as the team’s style has been greatly affected by the German maestro’s exit. Rodrigo would arrive at the Bernabéu aged 29 (his birthday is June 22), the same age Zinedine Zidane was when he signed for Los Blancos in 2001. Rodrigo is under contract with City until 2027, but the club has not yet managed to convince him to consider accepting a renewal offer.

His agent, Pablo Barquero (who also represents Raúl González and has a strong relationship with Real Madrid’s hierarchy), has received calls from City to extend the contract of the player who secured the club’s first ever Champions League title with his stunning goal against Inter in the 2023 final. Rodrigo hasn’t ruled out renewing with City, knowing he would be placed among the club’s highest earners, on par with Erling Haaland. However, the Madrid native is very tempted by the idea of returning to his hometown and joining the major project Madrid is building for the coming years. Rodrigo would only leave City to join Real Madrid, meaning there would be no open bidding war for his signature.

Rodri’s two options: City stay, Madrid move

Rodrigo has just two professional paths ahead of him: either renew with City or answer the call of Madrid and sign for Los Blancos. There is no third option.

Madrid is moving cautiously and won’t make any moves until the end of the current season, once all cards are on the table. With only two years left on his contract and the likely departure of Guardiola from the City bench in 2025, Rodrigo could see this as the right moment to make a big change in his successful career. Madrid spent €103 million (c.$114m) on Borussia Dortmund’s Jude Bellingham as it was considered a strategic signing. With Transfermarkt currently valuing Rodrigo at €130 million (c.$144m), it’s likely that the operation would move within a similar financial range to the Englishman.

The English club has shown in recent years that it has no problem going to the market to sell. Gündogan left for Barcelona a year ago after City didn’t match the salary offer from the Catalan club; Mahrez went to Al-Ahli; Sterling to Chelsea; and now Julián Álvarez has moved to Diego Simeone’s Atlético Madrid. City is not a club that refuses to cash in by letting one of its big stars go.

From Modric to Rodrigo: number 16 released at Madrid

At Real Madrid, Rodrigo would also be welcomed with his favourite shirt number: 16. Given that Luka Modric (who turns 39 next Monday) will almost certainly leave the Bernabéu at the end of this season, his iconic number 10 will be passed down to Mbappé, who wears it proudly for France. Mbappé would vacate the number 9, which will be gladly taken by Endrick. As Endrick temporarily wears the 16, that number would pass to Rodrigo, who has worn it both at City and with the Spanish national team.

The final point is that Madrid is keen to recover some Spanish presence in the squad, having been left lacking in that regard after the departures of Nacho and Joselu to the Saudi Pro League, along with youth players Rafa Marín, Mario Martín, and Latasa.

While the focus is very much on the now, 2025 is already shaping up to be a very interesting year, with significant moves that could see Rodrigo land at Real Madrid, bolstering a midfield that would feature the talents of Camavinga, Valverde, Bellingham, and Güler. A wealth of talent indeed.