The 2024/2025 season has just begun, and Real Madrid already has one signing for the next June and another in the works. Alphonso Davies will arrive from Bayern Munich as a free agent after refusing to extend his contract with the Bavarians. However, the much bigger move could be the signing of Rodrigo Hernández, known as Rodri. According to Madrid-based newspaper AS, the Spanish international is the primary target for club president Florentino Pérez, the sporting department led by chief scout Juni Calafat, and coach Carlo Ancelotti. When Real Madrid sets its sights on a player, they usually get their man, as was the case with Kylian Mbappé, who fans had to wait for a bit longer than usual but was eventually signed without a transfer fee.❗️Breaking: Real Madrid want Rodri. He is in the plan for 2025. His current value is €130m.— @diarioas pic.twitter.com/E8piTxvN3h— Madrid Universal (@MadridUniversal) September 3, 2024 For Rodri, however, Madrid will have to pay a fee, as he is under contract with Manchester City until the summer of 2027. It’s certain that the Citizens won’t easily let him go, but the aforementioned report suggests that Rodri has made it clear that if he leaves the Etihad, his only destination would be the Santiago Bernabéu. Despite spending a significant part of his development at Atlético Madrid before moving to Villarreal, and later spending a season with Atlético’s red-and-white side of Madrid, he appears ready for a return to Spain’s capital with their rivals.City’s silent warrior and the potential Ballon d’Or winner bound to get what he deservesWith Toni Kroos having retired and Luka Modrić in the final year of his contract, Real Madrid is looking for a new midfield leader. Aurélien Tchouaméni currently holds that role, but Rodri would bring far more experience, being the best player at the recent European Championship. If he joins, the Spanish international will have just turned 29 (born June 22), making him a long-term solution. Another factor in Madrid’s favor, according to AS, is that Manchester City has so far failed to convince Rodri to enter negotiations for a new contract. There’s still time, and the English club would surely make him the highest-paid player in the team, considering his excellent performances and the fact that his goal in the final against Inter secured their only Champions League trophy so far. However, Rodri’s agent, Pablo Barquero, has good relations with Real Madrid’s leadership, as one of his clients is former striker and now B-team coach, Raúl González. Additionally, the opportunity to return to his hometown and play a key role in a prestigious club’s major project is an additional incentive for Rodri to return to La Liga.”Rodri, you suck!”According to AS, there are reportedly no third options. It’s either a contract extension with City or a move to Real Madrid. The Spanish footballer does not plan to inflate his value by considering other offers. Manchester City has shown in recent years that they have no problem selling key players if a satisfactory offer arrives or if the player requests a transfer. Riyad Mahrez left for Saudi Arabia, Raheem Sterling went to Chelsea, Ilkay Gündoğan to Barcelona, and Julián Álvarez to Atlético Madrid. Therefore, it won’t be a surprise if Rodri dons the white jersey in a year. Aside from the desire for a high-quality player, Madrid is also interested in Rodri due to the shortage of domestic players in the first team. Nacho and Joselu left for Saudi Arabia this summer, and with the 33-year-old Lucas Vázquez, 32-year-old Dani Carvajal, and 28-year-old Dani Ceballos, only Fran García is getting some playing time under Carlo Ancelotti. Signing Rodri is also expected to have an impact on the junior players who are fighting for their chance to join the first team.##NAJAVA_MECA_8314422##
