Real Madrid’s move for Rodri may depend on business that has nothing to do with City at all.
According to Defensa Central, the funds Madrid would need to make a serious offer are tied to first selling Eduardo Camavinga — meaning Real Madrid have a deal to do at home before they can properly test City’s resolve.
It’s a different picture from this morning’s update, where Fabrizio Romano reported verbal talks had begun with Madrid indicating a willingness to pay over €50m in cash, no mention of Camavinga attached.
The two reports aren’t necessarily incompatible — Madrid could simply be lining up the sale to fund whatever fee City eventually demand — but it’s a reminder that a move for Rodri is more complicated on Madrid’s side than the headline figures suggest.
There’s also a ‘wrinkle’ worth noting here. City themselves were credited with interest in signing Camavinga only a few weeks ago, before his camp made clear he wants to stay at the Bernabéu.
Whether that interest still exists is unclear, but it would be a strange twist if the player City once considered ended up funding the very deal Madrid needs to prise their own midfielder away.
For now, Camavinga has given no indication his stance has softened.
Until Madrid resolve that situation, their pursuit of Rodri looks more theoretical than City’s stance on their own resolve to keep him would suggest.
