Real Madrid make Rodri U-turn after Olise blow | OneFootball

Real Madrid have reportedly performed a U-turn in their pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Rodri, according to Ramon Alvarez.

The Spain international is now emerging as a genuine transfer target following the club’s decision to abandon plans for Bayern Munich star Michael Olise.

Madrid have gone from not considering a move for the Ballon d’Or winner to actively exploring the possibility of bringing him back to La Liga.

While there is no indication that an agreement exists with Man City, the Spanish giants are keen to investigate whether a deal can be struck.

Meanwhile, Rodri is reportedly open to returning to his homeland if the opportunity materialises.

The development comes shortly after The Athletic revealed that Madrid have ruled out a move for French star Olise, concluding that a deal is not feasible this summer.

That decision appears to have shifted attention towards strengthening the heart of midfield instead.

Rodri has rediscovered his best form during Spain’s run to the 2026 World Cup final after an injury-hit campaign with City.

The 30-year-old produced a commanding display, especially in the latter stages, controlling proceedings against France, Argentina, and Belgium.

His passing range, positional awareness and ability to win duels underlined why he remains one of the world’s elite holding midfielders.

Pep Guardiola had predicted before the tournament that Rodri would return to peak condition on football’s biggest stage after an injury-plagued season.

He has lived up to that expectation.

For Madrid, he should be an obvious target. Since Toni Kroos retired, Los Blancos have lacked a deep-lying playmaker capable of dictating matches from midfield.

Jude Bellingham, Federico Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni and Eduardo Camavinga are quality footballers.

However, none of them possesses Rodri’s combination of composure, distribution and tactical intelligence.

Should Madrid succeed in opening talks with City, Rodri could become the marquee midfield signing the club has been searching for.