Tchouaméni extends contract and closes door on Rodri at Real Madrid

Real Madrid should not sign Rodri this summer. According to Fichajes, the trail leading to the Manchester City midfielder has cooled considerably, with the Madrid management believing their midfield squad is already sufficiently stocked.

The main reason lies in Aurélien Tchouaméni’s trajectory. The French international, who has rediscovered his best form in recent months, is reportedly on the verge of extending his contract with the club until 2031 or 2032. With the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner’s profile deemed too similar to that of the Frenchman, Real simply would not “need” Rodri.

The midfield picture is completed by Federico Valverde, considered indispensable by the coaching staff, and Eduardo Camavinga, who should also stay despite a difficult season in an attempt to revive his form. Competition is therefore already intense in Real’s midfield.

Back on the Real bench 14 years after his first spell, José Mourinho has already bolstered the squad with several signings: Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries and Marc Cucurella have joined the Whites. The club also has three top-class forwards in Kylian Mbappé, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, all three prominent at the World Cup.

Rodri, for his part, is under contract with Manchester City until 2027. The 30-year-old midfielder would not be insensitive to the idea of a return to Spain — he played for Villarreal between 2015 and 2018, then Atlético Madrid in 2018-2019 — but this return should not materialise at the Bernabéu, barring a change of circumstances.