Manchester City will be looking to trim their squad down in the coming weeks, after a lively start to the summer.
Manchester City signed four players before the Club World Cup, leaving fans delighted after a sorry end to the 2024/25 season.
Rayan Ait-Nouri, Marcus Bettinelli, Rayan Cherki and Tijjani Reijnders were all brought in – and all bar Bettinelli have played and looked promising so far.
But now Pep Guardiola needs players out the door.
James McAtee is set to leave City, having failed to make himself a regular.
And while Jack Grealish loves City, he will likely also depart.
But one man who certainly won’t be on the move is Rodri – even if he is extremely coveted by Real Madrid president Florentino Perez.
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Rodri is the only midfielder Real Madrid Florentino Perez would allocate £87 million to sign
Rodri looks on ahead of warming up for Manchester City.
Photo by Jose Breton/Pics Action/NurPhoto via Getty Images
Rodri is now back in the picture at City after his lengthy lay-off with a knee injury.
The Spaniard was badly missed last term, but made his comeback at the end of the 2024/25 Premier League season.
It’s now about building up his fitness, and trying to get back to the level he was at before his big setback.
Rodri is held in very high regard by most people in football, having won last year’s Ballon d’Or as a reward for so many world-class performances.
And Real Madrid’s president Perez is a particularly big fan of City’s number 16.
Cadena SER have reported on the state of play at Real Madrid right now following their transfer window so far.
🛑 5⃣ El Real Madrid paraliza la operación por un '5' y un central I @antonmeana
💸 "Florentino tiene claro que NO quiere pagar 100M por un mediocentro que no lo vale, pero iría a por RODRI si estuviera en el mercado"
❌ "Por ahora no hay NADA que les convenza en el mercado" pic.twitter.com/FZSKW3AGyQ
— El Larguero (@ellarguero) July 14, 2025
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It is claimed that they want a new midfielder, specifically someone who can hold.
Interestingly, president Perez is keen to avoid paying €100 million (£87 million).
It is stated that the only player he’d make an exception for paying that much money is City linchpin Rodri, who he would go for if he came on the market.
Thankfully, though, it is stated City are ‘are not in the mood to sell their star player’.
Perez should forget signing Rodri
It is no surprise that Perez covets Rodri – realistically, who would not want to go against the grain to sign the best player in the world?
Real Madrid have been linked with Rodri for a couple of years now, but Perez ought to forget trying to sign him.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez smiles.
Photo by Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images
City see Rodri as a future captain, and if that came to pass, then a move away from the club would be even more unlikely.
And City have also wanted to tie Rodri down to a new contract for quite some time.
And of course, there is potential that the Ballon d’Or fiasco, where Real Madrid did not show up to the ceremony upon learning Rodri was going to win the award, may not sit well with the player.