Real Madrid have been unusually busy in the current transfer window—far more active than in recent summers. With Xabi Alonso out and José Mourinho back at the helm for his second spell, the club has been aggressively retooling a squad that clearly needed fresh blood. Yet, despite making several early moves, Los Blancos managed to blunder on one key target.
Luckily for Florentino Pérez, there is still time to set things right.
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According to reports from David Ornstein and Marca, Real Madrid are now actively pursuing Manchester City’s Rodri, viewing the Spanish international as a crucial piece for the upcoming season.
The frustrating part for Madrid fans is that this situation could have been resolved months ago. Rodri’s desire to move to the Santiago Bernabéu was hardly a secret, with the midfielder repeatedly dropping hints about wanting to wear the iconic white shirt. However, Pérez reportedly remained unconvinced, hesitating to pull the trigger when Rodri’s price tag was far more reasonable following an indifferent patch of form with City prior to the World Cup.
That hesitation has backfired.
After a stellar World Cup campaign where Rodri anchored Spain to glory, his market value has surged. Real Madrid are now looking at paying a premium fee for a 30-year-old entering the final year of his contract—especially with Paris Saint-Germain entering the race to drive the price up even further.
Ever since Toni Kroos departed, Real Madrid have sorely lacked a midfielder capable of controlling the tempo, dictating play with long-range passing, and bringing composure under pressure. At his worst, Rodri offers elite game control; at his best, he is the finest deep-lying playmaker in world football.
Pérez may have hesitated earlier in the window, but Real Madrid appear to have finally accepted the obvious: Rodri was the player they needed all along, and they can no longer afford to wait.
