Rodri says he will decide his Man City future only after the World Cup

Rodri has told reporters he will not consider his future at Manchester City until after the World Cup, as speculation grows over a possible move to Real Madrid this summer.

The 29-year-old Spain midfielder, speaking at a press conference on Monday after joining the national squad’s pre-tournament training camp in Madrid, was measured in his response to transfer questions. “We’re here to talk about the World Cup,” he said. “Everything that concerns my future, I’ll wait until the end of the World Cup. When a player is nearing the end of his contract, it’s normal for names to come up but I am very calm, I know where I stand.”

Rodri has 12 months remaining on his contract at City, and his name has been raised by Enrique Riquelme, a Real Madrid presidential candidate challenging Florentino Perez in this weekend’s club election. Riquelme had identified Rodri as a potential transfer target should he win the presidency.

The midfielder joined City from Atletico Madrid seven years ago for a then club-record £62.8m and has made nearly 300 appearances for the club. During that time he has won the Premier League four times and the Champions League once, scoring the only goal in the 2023 final against Inter Milan. His performances for both club and country culminated in him winning the Ballon d’Or after helping Spain claim Euro 2024.

His recent form has been disrupted, however. He tore his anterior cruciate ligament in September 2024 and has struggled for consistency since returning from that injury.

Rodri has not been shy about his affection for Spanish football. In March, speaking to radio station Onda Cero, he acknowledged an openness to returning to LaLiga. “I’d like to return, yes, obviously,” he said. “For me, LaLiga is where I started. There have been many players who have gone down that path. For me, you can’t turn down the best clubs in the world.”

He stopped short of naming Real Madrid directly but noted that several former Atletico players had made the cross-city move to the Bernabeu over the years. With his contract situation unresolved and the World Cup in the United States, Canada and Mexico approaching, City face the prospect of losing one of their most decorated players on a free transfer if no renewal is agreed.