Why Manchester City delayed Rodri contract talks as Real Madrid prepare summer bid | OneFootball

Manchester City are negotiating a new contract with Ballon d’Or winning midfielder Rodri amid strong interest from Real Madrid ahead of the summer transfer window.

Rodri has recently foregone an injury-ravaged 18 months that saw the 29-year-old spend nine months on the sidelines with an ACL injury and suffer recurring fitness setbacks this season since his return to action at the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States in June 2025.

The Spain international has established himself as one of the greatest midfielders in the history of Manchester City and the Premier League, becoming the first player in City’s history to win the coveted Ballon d’Or in November 2024.

Since joining forces with Pep Guardiola at the Etihad Stadium, Rodri has gone above and beyond to justify the £63 million outlay made to secure his services from Atletico Madrid in 2019 but doubts are looming over the midfielder’s future in Manchester.

What is going on with Rodri’s contract situation at Manchester City?

Rodri has entered the final 18 months of his current deal at the Etihad Stadium, with no indication at present that the Villarreal academy graduate will commit his long-term future to Manchester City, who are at a nascent stage of their transition under director of football Hugo Viana.

Executives at the Etihad Stadium have closely monitored Rodri’s performances since his return to the pitch in the United States last summer but subsequent fitness issues have derailed the Spaniard from producing his best form on the pitch for a new-look Manchester City side.

Since a purple patch between September and October 2025, it has only been since January that Rodri has consistently started for Guardiola as he gets up to speed with his teammates after a prolonged period on the sidelines in the last 18 months.

However, Real Madrid are lurking around and are expected to follow their long-standing interest with a formal offer for Rodri, who turns 30 in June and is reportedly considering a return to his hometown as he assesses his options.

Why have Manchester City delayed contract talks with Rodri?

With Rodri battling recurring fitness issues in the last year-and-a-half, Manchester City bosses are likely to have been awaiting the midfielder’s return to regular first-team football to open talks over a new contract.

A renewal for Rodri is not said to have been urgent for Manchester City, as detailed by Simon Bajkowski of the Manchester Evening News, but the club will now look to cash in on their patience with the midfielder to progress talks over a new contract.

Real Madrid are believed to have their hearts set on a transfer for Rodri this summer as they build a title-winning side for the future, having endured a difficult season that has seen Xabi Alonso relieved of his duties as head coach and Alvaro Arbeloa come in.

Rodri played 90 minutes in Manchester City’s 3-0 defeat to Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu earlier this week and will have another audition against Alvaro Arbeloa’s side in the Round of 16 return leg at the Etihad Stadium in a few days’ time.