Real Madrid’s negotiations for Rodri have gone cold. Multiple sources have told ESPN that talks with Manchester City are no longer moving forward, and Barcelona have begun to weigh whether to intervene as the window drags on.
Madrid had ruled out a bid earlier in the summer and only returned to the table last month, according to ESPN. That late re-entry has cost them momentum.
No formal Barcelona offer has been tabled either, but ESPN’s sources say the Catalans are actively considering one.
The visible sticking point is money. Sky Sports reported at the start of August that City want around €75m for the Spain captain, while Madrid have so far refused to go beyond about €50m.
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Performance-related add-ons are seen as the most likely way to close a roughly €25m gap.
City are also running out of leverage. Rodri’s contract at the Etihad runs to 30 June 2027, meaning this is the last window in which the club can command a substantial fee before their captain could walk on a free.
Mourinho hesitation
A less obvious complication sits inside the Madrid coaching set-up. Sources told ESPN that new head coach José Mourinho, appointed on a three-year deal in June, had voiced doubts about the signing.
He arrived at the Bernabéu after a trophyless 2025-26 season and is still stamping his own preferences on the squad.
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Rodri, meanwhile, underwent successful minor back surgery for a lumbar issue he had carried into the World Cup.
Manchester City confirmed the procedure and said the recovery would be short, with a return targeted before the end of August.
Álvarez still the priority
Barcelona’s interest is real, but it is competing for space in their transfer plans. ESPN reports the club’s stated priority this window remains a striker, with Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez the primary target. A Rodri move would sit alongside that pursuit, not replace it.
RMC Sport reported in late July that Barcelona had contacted Rodri’s representatives after Frenkie de Jong picked up an injury, seeing a chance to reinforce the midfield.
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The pitch would lean on style: Hansi Flick’s possession game and a dressing room already stocked with the Spain midfielder’s international team-mates, including Pedri, Gavi and Dani Olmo.
Rodri has said nothing in public, no bid has been signed off, and City’s stated position remains that the reigning Ballon d’Or winner and 2026 World Cup Golden Ball recipient is not on the market.
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