Report: Real Madrid drop their pursuit of £52m Man City star — and more

Real Madrid Cool Interest in Rodri as Midfield Rebuild Continues

Real Madrid’s long standing admiration for Rodri Hernández appears to have reached a quiet conclusion. For years the Manchester City midfielder represented the type of cerebral presence many believed would eventually land at the Santiago Bernabéu. According to reporting from Sport, however, the Spanish giants now view the opportunity as one that has passed.

The reasoning is practical rather than sentimental. Rodri, one of the defining midfielders of Manchester City’s dominant era under Pep Guardiola, approaches a crossroads in his career. Age, injury concerns, and financial realities have shifted Madrid’s priorities as they reshape their midfield.

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Age and Injury Raise Questions

Rodri will turn 30 in June and is currently recovering from a serious knee injury. Though still widely respected across European football, these circumstances inevitably affect how potential suitors evaluate his future.

Real Madrid’s recruitment policy in recent seasons has leaned towards younger talent capable of anchoring the team for the next decade. Even with Rodri’s market value estimated around €75 million, his price tag would still be significant.

Sport reports that Manchester City would not consider offers below €60 million, a figure that immediately complicates any potential move.

From Madrid’s perspective, committing that level of investment to a player nearing 30 and returning from injury does not align with the club’s evolving strategy.

Missed Opportunities in Midfield Planning

The situation echoes decisions made in previous transfer windows. Last summer, Real Madrid chose not to sign Martin Zubimendi, who was 26 at the time and widely considered one of Spain’s most technically refined midfielders.

The report notes that Zubimendi waited until the final stages of the transfer window for contact from Madrid. The call never came, and he ultimately joined Arsenal for €60 million.

That decision has since attracted renewed scrutiny as Madrid attempt to rebuild a midfield once dominated by Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić.

Market Search Continues

Real Madrid’s admiration for Rodri dates back to his early career at Atlético Madrid. Even then, the club understood his qualities but recognised that a transfer would be impossible given Atlético’s resistance.

Rodri eventually joined Manchester City, where Pep Guardiola moulded him into the tactical heartbeat of his side. His positional intelligence and control of possession made him an extension of the manager on the pitch.

Today the circumstances have changed again. Sport suggests Madrid would only reconsider Rodri if he were available on a free transfer or nearing the end of his contract.

Meanwhile, the club continues to scan the market for midfield reinforcements. The departures of Kroos and Modrić have exposed an area of vulnerability, and further uncertainty surrounds Dani Ceballos’ future.

Internal options are also being considered, including the potential promotion of academy midfielder Thiago García Pitarch.

For now, the message from Madrid is clear. Rodri remains respected, but he no longer fits the profile of the future they are trying to build.

Our View – EPL Index Analysis

From a Manchester City perspective, this report may provoke mixed reactions. Rodri has been the defining midfielder of the Guardiola era, the player who quietly dictates tempo and structure. His influence has often been clearer in absence than presence.

If Real Madrid truly believe the moment to sign him has passed, City supporters might view that as confirmation of his continued importance. Rodri remains one of the most tactically intelligent midfielders in world football. Even approaching 30, players with his positional awareness rarely decline sharply.

Concerns around his knee injury are understandable, but City fans will remember how often he has returned stronger from setbacks. Guardiola has repeatedly described him as the team’s brain.

There is also an irony in Madrid’s hesitation. For years Rodri looked like the perfect heir to Spain’s great midfield lineage. Watching him dominate Champions League matches for City only reinforced that belief.

From a City standpoint, the idea that Madrid would only move if he became a free agent suggests something else entirely. Rodri remains valuable enough that paying a fee feels uncomfortable, but losing him for nothing would suddenly make the equation appealing.

City supporters might read this situation in a simple way. If Madrid are stepping back now, perhaps it strengthens the case for City ensuring Rodri’s future remains firmly at the Etihad.

Serie A giants Inter Milan are reportedly looking to intensify talks with Tottenham Hotspur goalkeeper Guglielmo Vicario in the coming weeks.

According to FCInterNews, the Nerazzurri are keen to sign the 29-year-old as a long-term replacement for Yann Sommer.

Furthermore, Inter had hoped to land the former Empoli shot-stopper in 2023, only for Spurs to swoop in and steal him away.

Inter Milan to Step Up talks for Guglielmo Vicario in March

LONDON, ENGLAND – DECEMBER 28: Guglielmo Vicario of Tottenham Hotspur during the Premier League match between Crystal Palace and Tottenham Hotspur at Selhurst Park on December 28, 2025 in London, England. (Photo by Julian Finney/Getty Images)

Vicario has reportedly grown frustrated with Tottenham’s disastrous results in the Premier League.

Indeed, Igor Tudor’s men are languishing in the division’s lower reaches, sitting just a point clear of 18th-placed West Ham United.

Therefore, the Italian goalkeeper could fancy a return to Serie A in the summer, with Inter eager to lure him to Milan.

England Under-20 star Lucas Friday on his anterior cruciate ligament recovery and learning off Harlequins scrum-half Danny Care.