Let’s talk about Rodri…
- davidjwalker1
- 5 hours ago
- 6 min read
There was a time not so long ago when Manchester City fans had to instigate conversations about Rodri, most notably via a tifo with, ‘Can we talk about Rodri’, emblazoned across the South Stand of the Etihad Stadium.
Created in the wake of his Champions League winning goal against Inter Milan, it served to celebrate Rodri’s extraordinary rise, culminating in Ballon d’ Or validation in 2024.
The exquisite, precision placed strike gave City a 1-0 victory on a glorious night in Istanbul and, in an instant, transformed ‘Rodders’ from elite midfielder to club legend and ultimately the status as the best footballer on the planet.
Two years on, it’s impossible to stop the chatter surrounding the captain of the newly crowned Spanish World Cup winners, with Real Madrid circling to entice the player back to the city of his birth.
There’s a horrible sense of inevitability because when Real Madrid come calling. Very few players turn down the chance to switch to the Santiago Bernabeu, albeit there was one very notable exception – a certain David Silva – who rejected both them and Barcelona and moved to City.
As he enters the final year of his City deal Rodri’s stock has never been higher.
He picked up the Golden Ball award as the best player of the 2026 World Cup – finally laying to rest the aftereffects of the anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) and meniscus injury which wrecked his 2024/25 campaign, before being the catalyst for a myriad of other, lesser niggling injuries, last season.
Had he not been stricken with one of the worst injuries in football, who’s to say City wouldn’t have won five – who knows – even six, consecutive Premier League titles, such is his profound effect on City’s winning ways?
His influence cannot and should never be underestimated or overstated, both for club and country.
One look at City’s Premier League winning percentages with and without Rodri – up to the point of his ACL injury in September 2024 – and the evidence is clear.
After his £62.6m transfer from Atletico Madrid in 2019, he played 174 PL games, winning 129, drawing 26 and losing just 19 – a win ratio of 74.1% and a points per game average of 2.37 – over a period of five seasons, of which City won a historic 4-In-A-Row titles.
Without Rodri, City won 13 of 21 matches (61.9%), drawing one and losing seven, garnering just 1.90 points per game – a drop of nearly half-a-point per game.
Last October Pep Guardiola had predicted – correctly – Rodri wouldn’t be back to full fitness until the World Cup, “In the World Cup he will be the best Rodri, and next season he will be the best Rodri.”
Guardiola was proved right on the first point, but what of the upcoming season and – if so – who will reap the benefits – City or Real Madrid?
If Pep’s successor, Enzo Maresca had his way, Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante would be signing a three-year contract extension and be his new captain. It’s a view heartily endorsed by every City fan, but it doesn’t bode well that no such agreement has been reached.
The despicable Real Madrid President, Florentino Perez, will doubtless approach City with a low ball, sub £50m offer for Rodri.
That’s all well and good - £50m would just about secure the predominantly, non-kicking left leg – what price the wand-like right foot?
Many will feel Madrid will baulk at a fee of £100m for a player who has just turned 30 and is entering the last year of his City contract – why?
This is the same Real Madrid who splashed out more than £100m for a nigh on 29-year-old Eden Hazard, who had just one year remaining on his Chelsea contract back in 2019.
Fast forward to the summer of 2023 and a 30-year-old Harry Kane – with just a year left on his deal with Spurs – moved to Bayern Munich for circa £100m, so why oh why is it considered unreasonable to demand £100m for Rodri?
His pending departure has sparked much debate among City fans, fans who are no different from those at other clubs; tribalistic and passionate but sometimes lacking perspective and pragmatism when it comes to evaluating the desires and actions of their idols.
It’s a well-worn cliché, but the only real constant about any football club is the fans – not the players, the managers or the owners – the supporters who wed themselves to a team irrespective of title triumphs, cup conquests, devastating defeats or ruinous relegations.
It doesn’t always resonate with fans that players are employees, simply doing their jobs in the workplace and no matter how much they kiss the badge on their shirts, they don’t eat, sleep and breathe their club’s fortunes or misfortunes.
Whichever way you cut it, Rodri does not deserve to incur the wrath of City’s supporters.
During his seven years at the Etihad he’s won absolutely everything worth winning for both club and country, as well as the most prestigious individual awards.
He’s shaped football history for City and Spain alike and delivered iconic moments never to be surpassed.
There are some who claim Rodri 'owes City’ for standing by him after that dreadful ACL injury and the long journey back to health and fitness.
Utter nonsense!
He was injured in the workplace; City have a duty of care to him as their employee – especially when he’s the best footballer in the world and a multi-million-pound asset.
Of course there’s a human dimension, but City didn’t offer him a new contract when he was on crutches and going through his recovery from the injury.
Had they done so in 2024 or early 2025, Rodri might have extended his deal to 2030 or beyond, and Real Madrid wouldn’t even be in the conversation.
City made a business decision not to do so. Now it’s Rodri’s turn to look at his options.
If there’s a chance to return to his birthplace, family and friends, especially as the whole of Spain is on the crest of a World Cup winning wave, why wouldn’t he be tempted?
Yes, it sticks in the craw because it’s Real Madrid – the club who disrespected Rodri and City when they threw a hissy fit because ‘Pernicious Jnr’ didn’t win the Ballon d’Or – but it obviously doesn’t bother Rodders.
Another option would be for him to run his contract down and leave City for free next summer.
City wouldn’t receive a penny; Rodri would’ve honoured his contract and could pocket a £30m signing on fee from Perez & Co.
It’s a similar situation to Bernardo Silva this summer.
A City legend, he was given an emotional send off, totally befitting his nine years’ service, but does anyone seriously believe he wouldn’t have gone to Barcelona two or three years prior, had the Catalonians been able to afford him?
Loyalty is a two-way street and City tend to be inherently fair in looking after departing players, some might even argue to the detriment of the club’s finances.
Ferran Torres’ switch to Barcelona during Covid had much to do with the player’s personal circumstances – the protracted payment schedule was to help Torres get back to Spain, rather than doing Barcelona a favour.
Much has been made of Rodri’s outstanding World Cup campaign but – and it’s a sizeable but – how does the slower pace of international football, often in stifling heat and humidity stack up against the physicality and hurly burly of the Premier League in all weathers?
Is Rodri completely recovered from the ACL takedown – does any player truly return to the heights of their previous performances after rupturing their ACL?
City have undoubtedly had the best of Rodri in his prime, but if he wants to leave and Hugo Vianna can prise anything north of £80m out of Perez’s grubby paws, it might be sensible to bid 'Adios’ to yet another City legend.
by David Walker
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