Manchester City may soon have to live with the possibility of losing Rodri in the summer transfer window after contract talks over a new deal stalled. The 29-year-old has one year left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium, and the longer the talks drag on, the more likely it becomes that he leaves.
Rodri has struggled for fitness throughout this season, missing over 80 games for club and country in the last two seasons, but that has not cooled interest in him. Real Madrid are interested in signing him this summer, and Rodri himself admitted in March that no player in the world would be able to turn down a move to the Bernabeu. During the last international break, he suggested that any player would find it hard to refuse a move to Real Madrid, a remark that has only sharpened speculation around his future.
Manchester City’s transfer plans are not built around selling Rodri, and the club want to accelerate contract talks before the end of this campaign. Even so, the pressure is obvious. Until the deal is sorted out, the noise around his future is likely to grow, especially with a major club waiting and a player who knows how to read the market as well as anyone.
Anderson has emerged as one of the most in-demand midfielders in world football, and City have already registered their interest ahead of the summer. Manchester United have also been touted to move for Anderson to replace Casemiro, though exclusive sources indicate United believe City will sign him in the coming months because of the huge fee involved. That could make Anderson a possible replacement if Rodri does go, turning City’s midfield planning into a decision that may be forced sooner than they want.
For City, the issue is no longer just contract length. It is whether a player central to their midfield can be kept long enough for the club to avoid being pushed into the market for an expensive successor. Until Rodri signs, the uncertainty around him will keep widening.
