Manchester City eye Bouaddi amid Real Madrid’s interest in Rodri

By Rohan Gupta — 31 July 2026 — 3 min read

Real Madrid are anticipated to submit an offer for Manchester City midfielder Rodri. The Spanish club is reportedly prepared to pay between £43m and £51m (€50m-€60m) for the player, who has one year remaining on his current contract. Initial contact is believed to have been made with City regarding the Spain international.

City, however, have expressed no desire to sell Rodri. Instead, the club is reportedly aiming to secure a new long-term contract with the midfielder. Rodri recently underwent back surgery and is currently in recovery. This recovery period is expected to lead to him missing the Community Shield and the initial Premier League fixture of the season.

Reports suggest that Real Madrid’s interest in Rodri is part of a broader strategy, following criticism of the club’s lack of representation in the Spain national team upon Florentino Perez’s re-election as president. Real Madrid has already acquired Marc Cucurella from Chelsea this summer, and a move for Rodri is reportedly supported by individuals within the club.

City’s Midfield Strategy

While Real Madrid pursues Rodri, Manchester City is reportedly advancing in discussions for Lille and Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. This development comes as City aims for Rodri to be a central figure in the new Enzo Maresca era at the club.

One report indicates that Jamie Carragher suggested that selling Rodri for £40m-£50m would not be beneficial for Manchester City. He argued that keeping Rodri for another year, even if it meant a free transfer later, would be preferable given his performance. Carragher highlighted Rodri’s role in the World Cup and his strong form in the latter half of a recent season, which he believed was crucial in Manchester City’s pursuit of the title.

Carragher also mentioned that Rodri is considered among the best in his position in the Premier League. He noted that the absence of Rodri due to injury in a previous season coincided with another team winning the title, suggesting his importance to City’s success. He also pointed out that City paid £60m for Rodri, and a return of £40m would not offer significant reinvestment opportunities.

Rodri’s Impact and Potential Replacements

Laura Hunter described Rodri as a complete central midfielder in the Premier League over the past five years, despite his age and recent injury record. Pep Guardiola has reportedly referred to Rodri as the best midfielder globally. Under Guardiola, City’s playing style has often revolved around Rodri’s ability to control the tempo and receive the ball in challenging situations, a role he also performed for Spain’s World Cup-winning team.

Hunter further stated that there is no other player who can influence a game in the same way as Rodri. She observed that City’s inability to retain their Premier League title in two seasons coincided with Rodri being affected by injuries. Regarding his replacement, Hunter suggested that a direct replacement might not be possible.

However, she noted that Elliot Anderson could evolve into a similar role. Anderson, described as a box-to-box midfielder, is reportedly showing statistics that make him comparable. Carragher also viewed Anderson as a potential pairing with Rodri, and as a possible replacement for Bernardo Silva, who has reportedly moved to Real Madrid. Real Madrid is confident in securing a deal for Rodri, with a potential finalisation after a meeting on Thursday.

Source: skysports.com