“Finally, it’s happening” – Pep Guardiola makes Rodri admission amid genuine Real Madrid transfer threat | OneFootball

Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has expressed relief at Rodri starting to return to his old self after an injury-ravaged 18 months.

Rodri has started regularly for Manchester City since January as the Blues bid for an unprecedented quadruple in their premier season under director of football Hugo Viana.

After recovering from ACL injury he sustained in September 2024, Rodri made a slow, delayed start to the 2025-26 campaign in the backdrop of a further fitness setback at last year’s FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.

Nico Gonzalez was heavily used by Guardiola in central midfield during Rodri’s absence in the autumn of 2025 as the latter underwent recurring issues that saw him come in and out of the Manchester City starting XI.

What has Pep Guardiola said about Rodri’s form and fitness?

After scoring his first Premier League goal in 655 days in a 2-2 draw with Nottingham Forest in midweek, Rodri is expected to be rested when Manchester City travel to Newcastle for their FA Cup fifth round tie this weekend.

Speaking on the form Manchester City’s first-ever Ballon d’Or winner has shown in 2026, Guardiola said: “Finally it’s happening like we wanted a long time ago, when he came back, to not have setbacks, have consistency to play, play, and play,” in a press conference on Friday.

“But now we play a lot, long travels away where fatigue is involved – travelling to Madrid, coming back, travelling to London (for West Ham next up in the Premier League), four or five hours to the hotel.”

Guardiola further touched on the importance of having as many players he can get at his disposal in the business stage of the season. “You have to use all the squad, otherwise it will not be possible to play for the reasons that we want to play,” the Manchester City manager added.

Does Rodri’s future lie with Guardiola at Manchester City?

Rodri is into the final 18 months of his current deal at the Etihad Stadium, having not signed a renewal past 2027 as of yet.

Manchester City officials are expected to reach an agreement with the former Atletico Madrid man sooner rather than later, perhaps having waited for the Spain international to forego his injury troubles for good to assess his form.

Guardiola has himself admitted that Manchester City will not witness the best of the Rodri until the 2026-27 season, understanding all too well the consequences of an ACL rupture that kept the midfielder out for nine months across 2024 and 2025.

Contract talks are not believed to be ongoing between Manchester City and Rodri, who is in the prime of his career and has attracted strong interest from the city he was born in during the last few seasons.

Could Real Madrid truly sign Rodri from Manchester City?

It remains to be seen whether Real Madrid follow their long-standing interest in the Manchester City star with a formal approach, though it is hard to imagine the Blues being open to selling one of the greatest players in the club’s history to their fierce European rivals.

Transfer insider Fabrizio Romano has recently reported that Rodri is considering a transfer to Real Madrid as he mulls over his club future amid Manchester City’s squad rebuild.

Manchester City are actively pursuing the signing of a world-class central midfielder in the upcoming transfer window, with Nottingham Forest star and England international Elliot Anderson leading the club’s wishlist in the position.

Further clarity on Rodri’s future is expected as the season comes to a close but should the Spaniard have his head genuinely turned by a move to the Santiago Bernabeu, Manchester City will want to cash in on the Ballon d’Or winning superstar this summer to avoid losing him for nothing when his contract runs out in 2027.