Rodri Drops Manchester City Bombshell as Ballon d’Or Winner Opens Door to Real Madrid Transfer

Manchester City’s midfield lynchpin Rodri has sent shockwaves through the Etihad by admitting he is open to a sensational return to Spain with Real Madrid.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, who has been the heartbeat of Pep Guardiola’s side for seven seasons, confessed that the allure of the Bernabeu might be too strong to ignore as he enters the final 15 months of his current contract.

Speaking to Spanish radio station Onda Cero while on international duty, the 29-year-old was candid about his future.

When asked if a return to La Liga was on the cards, Rodri replied: “I’d like to return, yes, obviously. For me, La Liga is where I started.”

A ‘Come-and-Get-Me’ Plea to Los Blancos?

While Rodri was quick to praise the Premier League, describing it as his “weakness” and a “thrilling league,” he admitted that seven years at the top in England has taken its toll.

He noted that the English top flight “pushes you to the limit” and that he is beginning to notice the “passage of time.”

Perhaps most significantly for City fans, the former Atletico Madrid man refused to let his past allegiances block a move to their cross-city rivals.

“The fact that I played for Atletico Madrid does not stop me from playing for Real Madrid,” Rodri added. “You cannot refuse the best clubs in the world. The Bernabeu is always incredible, a stadium that’s very imposing.”

Previously, Dani Carvajal urged Rodri to join Real Madrid after seeing the brilliance of the midfielder.

Contract Uncertainty at the Etihad

Rodri is currently working his way back to full sharpness following a serious cruciate ligament injury that sidelined him for much of the previous campaign.

While he helped City to a Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal just last weekend, his long-term future in Manchester is far from certain.

With his contract set to expire in the summer of 2027, City bosses are reportedly anxious to tie him down to a new long-term deal.

However, the player himself seems in no rush to put pen to paper.

“I have a year left on my contract,” he said. “Obviously there will be a point where we’ll have to sit down and talk, but right now I’m focused on getting back to my previous level.”

What This Means for Manchester City

The timing of Rodri’s comments couldn’t be worse for City, who are already facing speculation regarding the futures of Erling Haaland and Bernardo Silva.

Reports suggest that Real Madrid are monitoring the situation closely and could be tempted to test City’s resolve this summer before the midfielder enters the final year of his deal.

If Rodri does decide his time in the Premier League is up, it would leave a cavernous hole in Guardiola’s midfield — one that even an £80m-rated target like Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson might struggle to fill.

For now, the ball is firmly in Rodri’s court, but his latest comments suggest the “perfect computer” might already be calculating a move back to the Spanish capital.