Man City set to fight their corner as Real Madrid plot stunning summer transfer

Manchester City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak is ready to hand midfield general Rodri a new bumper contract at the Etihad Stadium if he'll pledge the rest of his career to the club - but Real Madrid are circling for the Spain midfielder

Manchester City are on red alert as Real Madrid plot a stunning move for Ballon d'Or winner Rodri. The Spanish giants are looking to tempt the Spain star to return back to his homeland next summer.

Rodri's current deal at the Etihad runs until 2027, and City chairman Khaldoon Al-Mubarak is determined to keep Pep Guardiola's midfield linchpin in Manchester. He is planning to open contract talks with the 29-year-old, in the hope of keeping him out of the clutches of Real.

City would will be willing to hand him a significant wage hike, in return for the Spanish international pledging the rest of his career to the club.

However, with questions continuing over Guardiola's long-term future, there is a nagging fear that Rodri may well be keen to return to the Spanish capital - where he previously played for Atletico before his £62m City move in 2019 - and that he may see it as his last chance to play for either of Spain's two giants.

Rodri spent the whole of last season sidelined with a serious knee injury, after undergoing surgery on ruptured ligaments suffered last September. His absence was a major reason that Guardiola's four-in-a-row champions ultimately relinquished their grip on the Premier League title to bitter rivals Liverpool.

Rodri has been instrumental in City's stunning success since joining them from Atletico, winning 11 major trophies, including the Treble in 2023.

He has been eased back into things this term, but for the club's hierarchy remains a massive part of the team's future plans.

For their part, Madrid are keen on strengthening their midfield next summer, with Xabi Alonso particularly keen to land someone in his own image, who can sit, control and dictate play. In his debut season he has chopped and changed his lineup, and hasn't been able to find the midfield balance he's really happy with, despite the likes of Fede Valverde, Aurelien Tchouameni, Arda Guler, Jude Bellingham and Eduardo Camavinga all being in place.

Alonso had been keen on hijacking Martin Zubimendi's move to Arsenal last summer, however it didn't come off. But splashing big money to take Rodri to the 15-time European Cup winners would give him exactly the kind of midfield controller he is so keen for.

Here at the Manchester Evening News, we’re dedicated to bringing you the best Manchester City coverage and analysis.

Make sure you don’t miss out on the latest City news by joining our free WhatsApp group. You can get all the breaking news and best analysis sent straight to your phone by clicking here to subscribe.

You can also subscribe to our free newsletter service. Click here to be sent all the day’s biggest stories.

And finally, if you’d rather listen to our expert analysis then make sure to check out our Talking City podcast. Our shows are available on all podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and you can also watch along on YouTube.