Real Madrid Intensifies Pursuit of Rodri Amid €40m Valuation Gap
Real Madrid have moved their interest in Rodri out of the realm of speculation and into something far more concrete, with the club accelerating plans to prise the midfielder away from Manchester City and back to La Liga.
According to journalist Patrick Berger, Madrid officials held a confidential meeting with Rodri’s representatives on Wednesday afternoon at a restaurant in Pozuelo, a quiet but telling backdrop for what is being framed as a key step in their summer strategy.
Mourinho’s midfield priority
Inside the club, the picture is now clear: Rodri has climbed to the top tier of targets to reinforce Jose Mourinho’s midfield. The hierarchy at the Bernabéu has not just discussed the move – it has signed off on it.
Florentino Pérez, initially cautious about launching a full-scale offensive for the Spain international, is now convinced the operation is worth pursuing. The green light from the president signals that this is no passing flirtation. It is a plan.
Real Madrid are already working on the player side of the deal. Negotiations between the clubs have not started, but the groundwork on personal terms has. Madrid are prepared to put a long-term contract on the table, one that would run until 2030, and the early indications are encouraging.
Rodri, who still has a year left on his Manchester City contract, is described as open to a return to Spain. City have had a renewal proposal in front of him for weeks, yet no agreement has been reached. That hesitation has given Madrid an opening – and they are pushing into it.
City’s price vs Madrid’s limit
The real battle, though, lies ahead. Getting the player on board is one thing; prising him away from Manchester City is another.
So far, there have been no direct talks between the clubs. Even before the first formal call, a sizeable gap in valuation has emerged. City, emboldened by Rodri’s status and his Golden Ball-winning campaign at the FIFA World Cup, have set a price of around €100 million.
From their perspective, his market value has never been higher. He is the metronome of a title-winning side, a midfielder who dictates tempo and controls games at the highest level. They want any negotiation to reflect that reality.
Madrid see it differently. Internally, they have drawn a clear line: €60 million. Not a cent more, at least for now. That self-imposed ceiling leaves a €40 million gulf between the two clubs – and that gulf currently blocks any realistic breakthrough.
The situation is simple and stubborn. Madrid have the player’s openness, the president’s approval, and a contract proposal ready. City have time on their side, a renewal offer on the table, and a valuation that reflects their belief that they hold the strongest hand.
Unless one side blinks, this transfer saga will move slowly, if it moves at all. The meeting in Pozuelo showed Madrid’s intent. The next move will show just how badly they want Rodri at the heart of Mourinho’s new midfield.
