Rodri to Real Madrid is going to be one of the big transfer stories of the summer 2026 tranfer market, as Los Blancos are in the market for a new midfielder to pair with Aurelien Tchouameni in the deeper regions of the pitch who can effectively screen the defense and make plays for the offense as a creator - and even as a scorer.
Tchouameni has come on strong in recent weeks, and the young Thiago Pitarch is a real talent worth cultivating. But Rodri is world class and a Ballon d'Or winner. Even though he is a rival of Real's for both Manchester City now in the Champions League and Atletico Madrid in the La Liga yesteryears, he made it clear during the international break that he has intentions of joining Real if they want him.
Although most of the indications through the Spanish media are negative for Rodri, it would be puzzling for Real Madrid president Florentino Perez to completely discard the idea of signing one of the Spanish national team's and the Premier League's best players if he is that willing to join.
Rodri can come to Real Madrid at the right price
In his YouTube channel, transfer insider Fabrizio Romano clarified that there is actually a chance for Rodri to join Real Madrid in summer 2026. Per Fab, although Real will not pay an exorbitant amount of money for the Manchester City superstar, they are willing to make a deal with the Citizens at the right price. They see Rodri the same way they see their free agent signings of the past like Antonio Rudiger, David Alaba, and, technically, Trent Alexander-Arnold; Rodri is a veteran market opportunity.
Finally, Romano states that the final price can be determined by Rodri. The Spaniard already played a big role in winking at Real Madrid first with his effusive praise for the club in the press during the international break, even leading Pep Guardiola to admit that it is tough to turn away Real Madrid when they want a star. And we know one thing about Pep: he does not stand in the way of his stars leaving.
The trepidation with Rodri is the fact that he is 30 and coming off a recent ACL tear, and it would indeed be ridiculous for Real Madrid to overpay for him, especially if they are already hesitant on overpaying for another star Premier League defensive midfielder in Enzo Fernandez. But at the right price, there's no reason to turn a nose at Rodri, who is a fantastic footballer.