Rodri eyed for significant pay rise as player’s camp issue early stance on Manchester City contract renewal | OneFootball

Manchester City are prepared to hand Rodri a significant increase on his current salary in an attempt to keep the midfielder at the Etihad Stadium beyond 2027.

The 29-year-old remains the undisputed heartbeat of Pep Guardiola’s side, having successfully navigated a challenging road to full fitness following his ACL injury in late 2024.

Despite the 2025 arrivals of Tijjani Reijnders and Nico Gonzalez in the summer and January respectively, Rodri’s influence on Manchester City’s tactical discipline remains unparalleled as the club chases significant silverware in the final months of the 2025/26 campaign.

Speculation regarding a potential return to Madrid – with both Real and Atletico mentioned in reports – has simmered in the background since the turn of the year. However, with City currently trailing Arsenal by seven points in the Premier League, the hierarchy is eager to eliminate any off-field distractions by tying down their most decorated midfielder.

How Rodri could compete with Man City’s top earners

According to the information of Manchester City insider ‘Tolmie’s Hairdoo’ on X, those within the Etihad Stadium are willing to make Rodri the second highest-paid player at the club, behind only Erling Haaland’s £375,000-per-week.

It is claimed that the Spain international has been solely focused on his fitness, but his representatives have now provided ‘positive noises’ that he still wants to stay at Manchester City and commit the ‘remainder of his peak years’ to the Citizens.

A clear statement of intent and hands-off warning

The move to renew Rodri’s terms is a clear indicator of Hugo Viana’s strategy to blend Manchester City’s world-class core with the refreshed younger profiles brought in over the last three transfer windows.

While younger talents like Rayan Cherki, Nico O’Reilly and Abdukodir Khusanov represent the future, the club’s board views Rodri as the essential bridge required to maintain elite standards during this period of transition.

As City prepare for the FA Cup fifth round trip to Newcastle and the Champions League last-16 against Real Madrid, the timing of contract reports is no coincidence. and securing a verbal green light from Rodri’s camp could provide a significant psychological boost heading into the definitive final quarter of the season.

The move would also act as a clear hands-off warning to Manchester City’s upcoming European opponents, who have long been tipped as an interested party for Rodri – depending on his recovery from his 2024 ACL injury.

Paying the ‘Best in the World’ what he’s worth

Among the regulars at the Etihad Stadium, the debate isn’t about if Rodri should get a pay rise, but rather how quickly the club can get him to sign it.

City fans saw the chaos of the 2024/25 season when Rodri was sidelined – a lack of control, defensive fragility in particular – and no one wants to revisit that.

While Erling Haaland grabs the headlines, Rodri is the player who actually makes the ‘Pep-system’ possible in the eyes of many. And to the fans, making him the second-highest earner isn’t just a financial decision, but a mark of respect for the only Ballon d’Or winner in the club’s history.

Should Rodri commits his peak years to the Etihad Stadium, it sends a very clear message to the rest of Europe that the Manchester City dynasty isn’t going anywhere, despite debates over whether the dominance of Guardiola’s previous sides is merely a chapter in history.