Manchester City preparing new contract for Rodri to keep Real Madrid at bay: report

Rodri of Manchester City applauds the fans after the Premier League match against Brentford, September 2024
Rodri could be awarded with a new deal (Image credit: Alamy)

Manchester City are keen to tie Rodri down to a new long-term deal, in order to stave off any potential swoop from Real Madrid.

Rodri played just three games this season before picking up a serious knee injury against Arsenal, which will keep him out for the rest of 2024/25. Despite that, Manchester City are willing to repay his exploits in recent years with a new deal.

According to Spanish outlet Cadena SER, Manchester City are worried about losing Rodri in the future and are willing to offer him a new contract to keep him at the club even longer.

Manchester City desperate to keep hold of Rodri

Rodri in action for Manchester City against Brentford in the Premier League on September 14, 2024

Rodri in action earlier this term (Image credit: Alamy)

The Spaniard's current deal is set to expire at the end of the 2026/27 season, when he'll have just turned 31. While that seems plenty of time to negotiate a new contract over the next year or so, his recent Ballon d'Or win and clear status within the team suggests he should be earning among the best at Manchester City.

He last signed a new contract with Manchester City in July 2022, though, before he was crowned the best player in the world or even scored the winner in the Champions League final against Inter Milan. Guardiola's side, therefore, are concerned Real Madrid will attempt to lure him back to the Spanish captial with a lucrative offer.

Manchester City's Spanish midfielder Rodri kisses the trophy as he receives the Ballon d'Or award during the 2024 Ballon d'Or France Football award ceremony at the Theatre du Chatelet in Paris on October 28, 2024.

Rodri celebrates with the Ballon d'Or (Image credit: FRANCK FIFE/AFP via Getty Images)

The report also names Barcelona and Bayern Munich as potential destinations for the central midfielder, highlighting he won't be short of options if he seeks pastures new.

But while he spent a season at Atletico Madrid before moving to Manchester City, the opportunity to return to his birth city with Real Madrid could prove too difficult to pass up - hence Manchester City's reported urgency in offering him a new deal, despite the fact he is out injured for the remainder of the campaign.

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Currently valued at €130m by Transfermarkt, any new contract could see that fee dramatically rise, diminishing Real Madrid's interest in the process.

In FourFourTwo's view, it would make sense for City to try and add an extra year or two onto his contract, but Rodri is certainly in no rush to sign anything. It's unclear what he'll want from that stage of his career, so he'd certainly be smart in stalling on any offer.

Ryan Dabbs
Staff writer

Ryan is a staff writer for FourFourTwo, joining the team full-time in October 2022. He first joined Future in December 2020, working across FourFourTwo, Golf Monthly, Rugby World and Advnture's websites, before eventually earning himself a position with FourFourTwo permanently. After graduating from Cardiff University with a degree in Journalism and Communications, Ryan earned a NCTJ qualification to further develop as a writer while a Trainee News Writer at Future.