Real Madrid have approached City over a deal for Rodri, according to Fabrizio Romano, with verbal talks now under way between the two clubs for the first time.
The development follows months of stalling on Madrid’s side, with president Florentino Pérez said to have blocked a formal pursuit until now. That stance has reportedly shifted following Rodri’s performances for Spain at the World Cup, where he captained the side to the trophy and picked up the tournament’s Golden Ball.
Madrid have indicated a willingness to pay more than €50m, though City are expected to push for a higher figure given Rodri’s importance to the squad and the belief that other clubs could yet enter the race.
Romano suggests City will take time before naming their price, partly to gauge whether that competition materialises.
Complicating matters further is Rodri’s fitness. He’s currently recovering from minor back surgery and isn’t expected to be involved at the start of the new season — timing that makes any transfer, if it happens, unlikely to be resolved quickly.
City have shown no sign of wanting to sell, and have previously been hopeful of tying Rodri to a new contract before his current deal expires in 2027.
Whether Madrid’s opening move changes that calculation is now the question that shapes the rest of City’s window.
