Real Madrid have received a boost in their pursuit of Manchester City midfield star Rodri following the comments of his boss, Pep Guardiola.
Rodri has been extensively linked with a move to Real Madrid in recent weeks. While he still has over two years left on his deal with Manchester City, the Ballon d’Or winner seems interested in joining the 15-time Champions League winners.
In a recent interview, Rodri said that he would like to return to Spain at one point, and he even suggested that it would not be possible to turn down a move to Los Blancos. While his comments didn’t get him into any trouble, Chelsea recently handed Enzo Fernandez a two-game ban for similar comments.
Pep Guardiola’s stance on Rodri’s future
On the back of it, Pep Guardiola was asked about the London club’s decision, and he made it clear that he won’t be taking such a stance if any of his players expressed their desire to leave. The former Barcelona boss made it clear City won’t stand in Rodri’s way if he wants to join Real Madrid.
The Spanish manager said via Sky Sports, “What Chelsea has done is Chelsea. There is not one player who I think would turn down the chance to play in Madrid. I understand completely. He was born in Spain.
“Always my wish is that Rodri would stay longer, as long as possible in this club, because he is an incredible player, a top player.
“I know he has proved for many years how attached, how close he is to this club. His contribution at this club has been massive.
“Now I have the feeling in the last one or two games that he is really, really back for a long, long period.”
After making a name for himself at Atletico Madrid, Rodri made the move to Manchester City in the summer of 2019. He has gone on to establish himself as one of the best midfielders in the world. While injuries have troubled him in recent seasons, the 29-year-old is finally back to his best.
Rodri is free to leave Manchester City
While Guardiola wants to ensure the Spanish international continues in Manchester, he has no intentions of standing in his way should he choose to walk away. Back in the day, Guardiola made it clear that any player who didn’t want to play for City could leave.
When asked if that applies to Rodri as well, he said: “Absolutely. The organisation of the club is above all of us. If one player is not happy, they have to leave. It will continue the same.
“Always I think he is happy and I hope he is happy but if he is not, all he has to do is knock the door of the sporting director, accept an offer in an accordance with his incredible quality and after that it belongs to the clubs and himself.”
The Spanish manager’s comments are a massive boost for Real Madrid, as it seems the player is free to choose his next club. If he decides to join Los Blancos, striking a deal with City won’t be that big a problem. However, they will have to fork out a significant fee that reflects the player’s value in today’s time.