Rodri won the Golden Ball of the 2026 World Cup tournament, leading Spain to their first championship victory of the world since 2010 when peak Sergio Ramos and Iker Casillas were around. The Manchester City star was the main protagonist in the two biggest games of the tournament, dominating Real Madrid's current starting No. 6 Aurelien Tchouameni and the French national team in midfield before doing an even worse number on a disgraced Enzo Fernandez and Argentina in the World Cup Final.
Enzo has been dreaming of a Real Madrid transfer, but Rodri crushed those dreams by crushing him, now making himself the No. 1 target for the fans, players, and executives - everyone but the most important person, Florentino Perez.
The Real Madrid president has always been rejecting the Rodri transfer even when others wanted him at the beginning of the summer 2026 transfer window, but now that Rodri has balled out at the World Cup, there are many in the building at the Valdebebas who are optimistic that they can change his mind.
Florentino Perez may have just changed his tune
Despite Rodri having a chronic back injury that may require surgery and cost him games to start the 2026/27 Premier League season with Manchester City, it appears Florentino Perez may have indeed had his change of heart.
According to a report from Florian Plettenberg and Patrick Berger of Sky Sports, Real Madrid are now "intensively" working on signing Rodri, with the outlet even stating that Rodri has suddenly become one of the "top targets" for Florentino. Manchester City are working to extend the contract of the midfielder, though, as it is set to expire next summer. Per Plettenberg, Real Madrid have begun talks with Rodri's reps and are pushing for a contract through the 2029/2030 season - one year before Aurelien Tchouameni's new deal with Madrid would expire.
There are going to be a lot of Real Madrid fans excited about this sudden apparent change in opinion from Perez, especially since it is rare for Perez to be swayed like this. Perez may have had some bad blood with Rodri over the 2024 Ballon d'Or snub and Enrique Riquelme making him a center of his project to try and take Perez down, but neither of those things were really Rodri's fault.
The injury concerns are valid, though, as while Rodri looked totally great after his ACL tear this summer at the World Cup, there is the chronic stuff like the back. If Real Madrid can get a good enough deal - or just wait until he is free - that may be ideal. But signing him for free is easier said than done with the pressure Man City are putting on a new contract.
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