Real Madrid Return for Rodri! Los Blancos Ready €150m Bid to Lure Ballon d’Or Winner Away from Man City

Spanish Giants Eye Sensational Move as Pep Guardiola and City Fight to Keep Their Midfield Maestro

It seems Real Madrid never quite let go of a good idea — and this time, their eyes are once again fixed on Rodri, the beating heart of Manchester City’s midfield and freshly crowned Ballon d’Or winner. Reports in Spain claim Los Blancos are preparing an audacious €150 million offer to bring the Spaniard home, setting up what could become one of the biggest transfer sagas of the 2025 summer window.

At first glance, it sounds like classic Madrid — headline-grabbing, lavish, and just a bit outrageous. But this time, there’s substance behind the rumour. Florentino Pérez and his recruitment team view Rodri not just as a marquee signing, but as a vital piece in rebuilding a midfield that once revolved around Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos.

The problem? Pep Guardiola and Manchester City have no intention of letting him go.

Rodri: The Unsellable Star of Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City

In the grand scheme of Guardiola’s City reign — littered with brilliance, trophies, and tactical innovation — Rodri Hernández might just be the most irreplaceable of them all.

Signed from Atlético Madrid in 2019 for £62.6 million, the then-quiet and introverted Spaniard took time to adjust to the Premier League’s speed and intensity. Fast-forward six years, and he’s now the most influential holding midfielder in world football — the metronome of City’s system, the calm amid chaos, the glue between genius and structure.

The numbers tell their own story. Across the 2023–24 season, Rodri didn’t lose a single match in which he played. He dictated games, anchored transitions, and — perhaps most memorably — scored in the Champions League final against Inter Milan in 2023 to secure City’s first-ever European crown.

That performance, followed by his heroics in Spain’s Euro 2024 triumph, sealed his status as the planet’s best footballer. The Ballon d’Or followed naturally, a rare feat for a holding midfielder in a world obsessed with goals and flair.

“With him, we are a better team. No doubt,” said Guardiola last season. “He doesn’t need to be in the highlights. He makes the highlights possible.”

For City, Rodri is more than a footballer — he’s a system, a mentality, a comfort blanket. And that’s precisely why they have zero plans to cash in, even for €150 million.

TOPSHOT-FBL-AWARD-BALLON D’OR-2024

Real Madrid’s €150 Million Gamble

Still, Real Madrid being Real Madrid, they’re not easily discouraged. According to multiple Spanish outlets, Pérez is “readying an offer” worth €150 million (£130m/$175m) to test City’s resolve.

It’s a figure that would make Rodri one of the most expensive midfielders in history — a number that reflects both his importance and Madrid’s desperation to replace their ageing legends.

For context, Madrid had reportedly drawn the line at €100 million last summer, believing City would never sell. But after watching Rodri dominate at the European Championship, and with both Modrić and Kroos having now stepped aside, the thinking has changed.

Madrid see Rodri as the future of their midfield — a Spanish general returning home, with the leadership to command a new generation featuring Jude Bellingham, Eduardo Camavinga, and Aurélien Tchouaméni.

The project is seductive: a new Galáctico era, built not just on flair but on tactical steel.

But to pry him from Guardiola’s grip? That’s an entirely different battle.

City’s Stance: Not for Sale, Not Negotiable

Inside Etihad Stadium, the response has been firm and consistent. City will not entertain any bids, no matter how astronomical.

Club chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak reportedly considers Rodri “non-transferable,” and talks of a new contract extension are already in motion — one that would make him one of the highest-paid players in the Premier League.

Rodri’s current deal runs until 2027, but City are prepared to extend it well into the next decade, with a significant salary bump designed to shut down Madrid’s advances before they start.

“He’s massively important for us,” Guardiola has often said. “The whole team knows it — without him, we cannot do what we’re doing.”

In other words: Real can call, but the answer will be no.

Still, football has a funny way of turning the impossible into the inevitable. And the idea of Rodri returning to Madrid, where he grew up and developed before leaving Atlético, will tug at the heartstrings — even for a player as committed and professional as he is.

The Madrid Temptation: Homecoming and Legacy

For Rodri, the notion of returning to Spain — and specifically to Real Madrid — carries undeniable emotional weight. Born and raised in the Spanish capital, he came through Atlético’s youth system but never played for Real.

Yet, the chance to wear white and anchor Madrid’s midfield in a post-Modrić world might be the ultimate homecoming — both symbolically and professionally.

Madrid have reportedly positioned him as the natural successor to their midfield icons, offering not only a key role on the pitch but also the kind of prestige and legacy-building that appeals to players entering their prime.

He’s now 29 — old enough to command, young enough to lead a new era. For Pérez and company, that’s exactly the profile they’ve been searching for.

Guardiola’s Fear: History Repeating Itself

For Guardiola, the thought of losing Rodri brings back uneasy memories. He’s seen it before — Barcelona losing Thiago Alcântara, Xavi, and later Busquets without having immediate replacements ready.

Rodri, in many ways, is his Busquets 2.0 — intelligent, composed, tactically perfect. In the past, City have replaced even their biggest stars (think Kompany, Agüero, Sterling, Mahrez) with ruthless efficiency. But there’s no like-for-like successor for Rodri. Not even close.

City have scouted players such as João Neves (Benfica) and Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad), but both remain distant in quality and consistency.

Losing Rodri would mean rebuilding City’s identity from scratch. And Guardiola, who is under contract until 2026, knows it.

The Ballon d’Or Factor

Rodri Manchester City Brentford 2025-26

What complicates matters further is Rodri’s new status as Ballon d’Or winner.

His triumph last December marked a rare moment of recognition for a defensive midfielder, a role often overshadowed by goal-scorers and playmakers. But it also elevated his global profile to superstardom — and with that, his market value and appeal skyrocketed.

Madrid have always had a soft spot for Ballon d’Or winners, and Pérez is said to view Rodri’s win as both a symbolic and commercial opportunity.

He’s the kind of player Madrid love to showcase — elegant yet dominant, Spanish yet global, tactical yet marketable. It’s a match made in Galáctico heaven.

The Injury Interlude: City Playing It Safe

For now, though, Rodri’s focus is on recovery. The midfielder picked up a minor muscle injury during City’s 2-0 win over Brentford, lasting just 20 minutes before being substituted.

The club quickly confirmed that it wasn’t a recurrence of the ACL injury that sidelined him for much of last season — just a precautionary knock.

Rodri has already withdrawn from Spain’s latest international squad and is targeting a return for City’s clash with Everton on October 18.

Privately, he’s said to be relaxed, focusing on fitness and form rather than transfer speculation.

What Happens Next?

In typical Madrid fashion, this story is unlikely to go away. The Spanish media will feed it, the Bernabéu crowd will dream about it, and Pérez will keep testing the waters.

For City, the best defense will be action — a new contract, more trophies, and continued faith in their midfield linchpin.

But as history shows, when Real Madrid truly want a player, they rarely stop until they get him. Whether it takes one summer or two, they’ll keep pushing.

And if Rodri ever starts to wonder what life might look like back home — under the Bernabéu lights, leading a midfield with Bellingham and Camavinga — the temptation could become too real to ignore.

The Final Word

For now, Rodri remains Manchester City’s most precious asset — the foundation upon which Guardiola’s empire stands. But in Madrid, there’s a quiet confidence growing that one day soon, their prodigal son might return.

A €150 million bid might not be enough to make it happen. But in football, money talks — and when it comes to Real Madrid, it usually shouts.

Until then, City will cling to their midfield general, while Madrid will dream of his homecoming. And somewhere in between, Rodri, the Ballon d’Or-winning conductor of modern football, holds all the cards.