Real Madrid ready to launch £100 million bid for Manchester City superstar | OneFootball

Manchester City may be bracing themselves for an eye-watering opening bid from Real Madrid as they Spanish giants attempt to lure one of Pep Guardiola’s primary stars.

The summer transfer window is certainly heating up across Europe, and at Manchester City attention has quickly turned to the future of a player who many would argue is the club’s single most irreplaceable asset.

After campaigns of domestic and continental dominance, Rodri has emerged not just as a midfield metronome for Pep Guardiola, but as one of the best footballers in the world – recognised as the very best through his Ballon d’Or success of 2024.

However, his standing in the game has inevitably attracted interest from elite rivals – none more so than Real Madrid. With a midfield evolution underway under new head coach Xabi Alonso, Los Blancos have identified the Spain international as the ideal long-term successor to their veteran core and the departed Luka Modric and Toni Kroos in the last 12 months.

Manchester City, meanwhile, have always been firm in their stance that Rodri is untouchable. The 29-year-old is currently under contract until 2027 and is one of the highest-valued players in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

However, with the player recently recovering from an ACL injury – a development that has tempered his usual consistency – questions have lingered around his long-term physical resilience and what impact such a serious setback could have on his game over time.

But according to The Sun’s Martin Lipton, Real Madrid are ready to make a £100 million bid in an attempt to lure Rodri to the Santiago Bernabeu this summer, with officials at the La Liga giants firmly believing their Etihad Stadium counterparts may be tempted by the offer.

While Madrid may be tempted into waiting to see how Rodri recovers from his ACL injury and how much his price could reduce should he approach the final year of his contract, which expires in 2027, manager Xabi Alonso is said to be pushing his hierarchy to make a bid now.

For Manchester City, the idea of parting ways with Rodri in the near future would likely require both an extraordinary financial offer and a ready-made replacement, neither of which are easily found in the current market.

Pep Guardiola has consistently maintained that the Spaniard is the heartbeat of his tactical system, and recent links to defensive midfielders across Europe suggest no serious plans to transition away from that blueprint just yet.

Still, City’s executive leadership are known for pragmatism when it comes to big-money sales, and if a nine-figure bid was to materialise – and if Rodri expresses even the slightest interest in a return to La Liga – the Premier League giants may be forced to weigh sentiment against strategy.

Manchester City have let go of key players in the past when the timing aligned, from Leroy Sané to İlkay Gündoğan, and may view Rodri’s situation in a similar light should the player’s condition decline, the deal prove irresistible, or the player indicate a willingness to move.

From Real Madrid’s perspective, striking now may be their best chance to win the race. With Rodri still working toward full fitness, a decisive move this summer could avoid a bidding war down the line. What remains to be seen is how City – and Rodri himself – respond to mounting pressure from the Bernabéu.