Rodri’s Barcelona move shaped by Real Madrid doubts over his style, report says

Real Madrid missed the opportunity to sign Rodri despite the Manchester City midfielder’s long-standing ambition to play for the Spanish giants, with Barcelona eventually winning the race for his signature in the summer of 2026, according to Marca.

Rodri had hoped for a move to Real Madrid for years, but circumstances worked against him on two occasions. The first came in 2019, when he left Atletico Madrid for Manchester City. The second was this summer, when he chose Barcelona instead of the club he had supported and dreamed of representing since childhood.

Marca reports that Rodri waited until the final stages of his time at Atletico Madrid for Real Madrid to make an offer. However, the club decided against pursuing the deal because its midfield was already built around Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro.

Rodri subsequently activated his release clause and moved to Manchester City, where he became a key player under Pep Guardiola. The report describes that decision as the biggest turning point in his career, with Guardiola helping him produce the best version of his game.

Real Madrid supporters pushed for the club to sign Rodri during the current summer transfer window, but Marca says the club’s leadership was never fully convinced that the deal should be completed.

That position changed after Rodri impressed at the World Cup, while his contract entered its final year and Guardiola left Manchester City. Those developments created a genuine opportunity for Real Madrid to sign him, but the club’s approach was late and lacked complete conviction, something the player reportedly noticed.

According to Marca, one comment circulating among senior figures at Real Madrid’s Valdebebas training ground was particularly revealing: “Rodri slows the ball down too much, and that is not what we are looking for.”

The report says Real Madrid were seeking a midfielder with greater dynamism and physical power. That assessment came despite Rodri ending the World Cup with a record for completing the most passes in a single edition of the tournament, with a success rate of more than 93%.

Real Madrid president Florentino Perez and chief executive Jose Angel Sanchez did make contact with Rodri, but the discussions did not progress beyond that stage. Marca says the level of engagement was notably different from the club’s usual approach to major transfers.

Barcelona, by contrast, made a concerted effort to persuade the midfielder. Sporting director Deco, president Joan Laporta and head coach Hansi Flick all spoke to Rodri, as did a large number of the club’s players. Their combined message was intended to underline how strongly Barcelona wanted him.

The difference between the two clubs was not financial. Marca says the offers from Real Madrid and Barcelona were very similar.

Rodri was instead persuaded by Barcelona’s footballing project, which he felt resembled the style of Spain’s world champions. He also viewed the club as having a stable structure and a clearly defined identity.

Real Madrid’s project, in his view, remained unsettled, and that uncertainty did not suit a player who is 30 years old.

After making his final decision, Rodri is reported to have contacted Sanchez directly. He thanked Real Madrid’s officials for the respect they had shown during the negotiations before waiting for Barcelona to reach an agreement with Manchester City.

That agreement took five attempts before the English club finally accepted the deal, allowing Barcelona to complete the move and bringing an end to Rodri’s long wait for a decision on his future.