Rodri of Manchester City
Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images
According to journalist Rodra, Real Madrid are starting to believe that Manchester City midfielder Rodri might not join the club this summer, with Barcelona now taking the lead in the race for the Spaniard.
A deal appeared to be on the track for a while now, with personal terms also agreed and talks taking place with Manchester City.
But, Barcelona’s entry into the picture, coupled with Real Madrid’s failure to offload one of their current players have turned the tables.
The Spanish giants have seen their primary plan to push for the deal collapse after French midfielder Eduardo Camavinga firmly refused to leave the Santiago Bernabeu.
Eduardo Camavinga of Real Madrid
Refusing to leave. (Photo by Denis Doyle/Getty Images)
Real Madrid’s executive board, led by Florentino Perez, had constructed a clear financial roadmap to secure the 30-year-old Spain international.
The club’s explicit plan relied on selling Camavinga during the current window to free up the space in the squad required to accommodate Rodri in the squad.
However, Camavinga has completely rejected any possibility of a summer departure. The 23-year-old midfielder made his stance clear to club directors, stating his desire to stay under head coach Jose Mourinho.
This refusal has left Real Madrid’s management unable to proceed in their efforts to sign Rodri, leading to the negotiations between the two clubs to stall.
Real Madrid’s internal complications have opened the door for fierce rivals Barcelona. Barcelona have made rapid progress over the last few hours, opening active negotiations with both Manchester City and Rodri’s representatives.
Rodri of Manchester City
Slipping away (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
The Catalan club is prepared to match the transfer fees discussed by Madrid, turning the race into a direct boardroom battle.
While Rodri had reached an agreement on personal contract terms with Real Madrid days ago, the standstill in Madrid has forced him to look at other options.
Furthermore, several of his Spanish national team teammates at Barcelona have been contacting him daily, trying to get him to change his mind and anchor Hansi Flick’s midfield instead.
With Real Madrid unable to finalize their move due to Camavinga’s stance, the club’s confidence has taken a significant hit, leaving the final decision entirely up to the player.
Jose Mourinho, Head Coach of Real Madrid
Photo by Christian Bruna/Getty Images
Jose Mourinho is preparing to lead Real Madrid into a new era as he looks to begin his second stint at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Florentino Perez has backed him exceedingly well in the transfer market, bringing in players like Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Bernardo Silva, Carlos Espi and Marc Cucurella.
The club are also pushing to sign Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig and Rodri from Manchester City to further bolster Jose’s squad.
Now, according to AS (h/t Madrid Zone), Mourinho’s preferred starting XI is beginning to take shape ahead of the new season, with six Real Madrid players establishing themselves as guaranteed starters under the Portuguese manager.
The early weeks of pre-season have already revealed the core of Mourinho’s project as he prepares for his first campaign back at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Kylian Mbappe of Real Madrid
Three of the untouchables. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)
The report claims Mourinho currently has six players he views as automatic selections whenever they are available.
These include Thibaut Courtois, Marc Cucurella, Fede Valverde, Jude Bellingham, Vinicius Junior and Kylian Mbappe.
The group forms the backbone of the team across every area of the pitch, from Courtois in goal to Mbappe leading the attack.
It also underlines Mourinho’s faith in Cucurella, who only arrived this summer but has quickly established himself as the first-choice left-back.
While those six appear secure, several positions remain open for competition.
The centre-back pairing is still taking shape, especially with Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen competing for places with Antonio Rudiger and Eder Militao.
In midfield, much could depend on whether Real Madrid complete the signing of Rodri, while the right wing and right-back positions remain among the most competitive areas of Mourinho’s squad.
Marc Cucurella of Spain
Already seen as an untouchable. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Mourinho has also experimented with playing both his right-backs, Denzel Dumfries and Trent Alexander-Arnold, on the right flank.
That said, the arrival of Diomande would make the Ivory Coast winger a lock-in on the right wing, thereby increasing competition at right-back.
At a club like Real Madrid, no player should be guaranteed a definite starting role, even if he is Kylian Mbappe.
Every player must continue to prove why they deserve to play for Los Blancos, and this hierarchy must be merely on paper.
If there is one thing you can be absolutely sure of with Jose Mourinho, it is that the Portuguese tactician is unlikely to put names ahead of the team.
Jose will not hesitate to drop any player, regardless of their stature, and even these “untouchables” will know it very well.
Transfers between now and the end of the season could further change this untouchables list, and it remains to be seen how the hierarchy evolves at Madrid this season.