Manchester City brace for Real Madrid bid for Rodri amid contract talks
Rodri’s contract situation and Real Madrid’s interest
Manchester City are preparing for a potential bid from Real Madrid for midfielder Rodri. Despite this, City remains hopeful that the 30-year-old Spain international will agree to a new contract. Rodri’s current terms are set to expire next June, and discussions regarding a new deal have been ongoing.
Real Madrid has reportedly changed its previous stance on not being interested in Rodri, particularly after his performances as captain during Spain’s World Cup campaign. The Spanish club is understood to be preparing an offer for the midfielder. Rodri’s reliability during the summer has also addressed concerns about his physical condition, though he is scheduled for surgery on a back injury after returning to England from North America.
In March, Rodri indicated a potential openness to playing for Real Madrid, noting that his past with Atlético would not necessarily prevent such a move. He reportedly stated that one cannot decline an opportunity with one of the world’s top clubs.
Transfer market activity for other players
The interest in Rodri could also spark attention from other prominent clubs. Barcelona might consider a move for him, especially after Frenkie de Jong’s medial collateral ligament injury, which has sidelined him for several months. Paris Saint-Germain is also known to admire Rodri.
Real Madrid may need to secure funds to facilitate a move for Rodri, particularly if they proceed with the expected signing of Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for a fee reported to be significantly more than €100m (£85m). This could potentially lead to the sale of Aurélien Tchouaméni. The 26-year-old French player is thought to have agreed to a new contract with Real Madrid, although this has not been officially announced. His current deal is set to conclude in the summer of 2028.
Manchester United continues to show interest in Tchouaméni, though earlier in the transfer window, there were uncertainties regarding whether the reported fee of around £70m for the midfielder was within their budget. Tchouaméni’s teammate, Eduardo Camavinga, is also on United’s radar, with a potential cost of €50m-€60m.
In other transfer news, Leeds United is reportedly close to finalising a £40m deal to acquire 23-year-old England goalkeeper James Trafford from Manchester City. Manchester United has entered advanced discussions to loan 25-year-old Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee to Juventus for a season, with an option to buy for £30m included in the deal.
Paris Saint-Germain is also reportedly interested in Parma’s Zion Suzuki, a 23-year-old Japan goalkeeper who has previously been linked with Aston Villa and Juventus. Crystal Palace has reached an agreement on personal terms with 19-year-old French centre-back Raphael Le Guen from Brest. Additionally, Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye, an 18-year-old Senegal forward, has been offered to both Liverpool and Manchester City, with his agents confirming he will not join Aston Villa this summer.
Real Madrid is scheduled to hold further discussions with Vinicius Jr’s representatives to reach an agreement on a new long-term contract, amidst interest from Arsenal in the 26-year-old Brazil winger. Real Madrid has also submitted a second offer, valued between £94m and £98m, for 19-year-old Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, though further negotiations are required to meet RB Leipzig’s demands. Diomande was also a target for Liverpool.
Sevilla is reportedly willing to sell 22-year-old Ruben Vargas for 20m euros (£17m), with Brighton, Newcastle, and Aston Villa among the Premier League clubs interested in the 27-year-old Switzerland winger. Sunderland has agreed on personal terms with 20-year-old Toulouse and France Under-21 left-back Dayann Methalie. Finally, Fulham’s 29-year-old Serbia international Sasa Lukic is among the midfield targets for Ipswich Town this summer.
Source: bbc.com
