Manchester City Faces Uncertainty as Key Players Depart and Rodri’s Future Remains in Doubt

Manchester City will see three club legends depart the club at the end of this season. Pep Guardiola, John Stones, and Bernardo Silva will all leave the club. The trio will forever hold a special place in the history of City. Losing three important figures will be a blow for City. However, the club is well-placed and positioned for the future. Now a new report has cast doubt over the future of another key figure at Manchester City: Rodri. Fabrizio Romano reports that Rodri’s contract negotiations with City aren’t going as smoothly as hoped. It would seem that a fourth key figure isn’t certain to remain at the Etihad after this summer.

Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Rodri’s contract negotiations with Manchester City.

Speaking on the Here We Go podcast, Fabrizio Romano has provided an update on Manchester City’s bid to agree on a contract extension with Rodri. Romano has revealed that the two parties are some way off from reaching an agreement. Romano explained: “Rodri, first of all, has a contract proposal, a new contract proposal on the table from Manchester City and already since April. So the new contract is there. It’s Rodri who has to decide. Now my understanding is that the distance in this new contract between Rodri and what Rodri is asking and what Man City are offering is still a significant distance, a significant gap. So at the moment there is still no agreement now, or they reach an agreement, or Rodri could stay at Man City and leave as a free agent in 2027. That’s also a possibility.”

Real Madrid do loom in the background given their interest in signing Rodri.

Fabrizio Romano further explained that Real Madrid retain an interest in signing Rodri. However, if they were to move for the Ballon d’Or winner this summer, they have no intention of paying a premium transfer fee for the Spanish midfielder. Speaking on Real Madrid’s interest in signing Rodri, he explained: “What about Real Madrid? Real Madrid know that Rodri one day would love to play at Real Madrid. But now is Real Madrid will have to decide what they want to do with Rodri. If they want to go for him or not. Now there is a new manager. Now there is Jose Mourinho.”

“So Real Madrid, with Jose Mourinho, will also decide whether they want to proceed for Rodri or not. So that’s going to be an important moment to understand what really happens with this one. Let me clarify one thing. Real Madrid, in case they decide to go for Rodri. They don’t want to spend crazy money. They don’t want to pay a huge fee because they say the player is out of contract in 2027, or we can negotiate for a normal price. Otherwise, they could wait [until] 2027 and go for him on a free.”

The final decision on Rodri’s future rests with the player himself.

Fabrizio Romano’s latest update shows that Manchester City and Rodri are a fair way off from agreeing on a contract extension. What the sticking point is isn’t immediately clear. However, what is clear based on Romano’s update is that Rodri isn’t as close to signing a contract extension as first thought. Also, Real Madrid once again loom large in proceedings. Their interest in one day signing Rodri is well-known, as is their habit of signing players who have either run down their contract or who are entering the final year of their contract, as Rodri is soon to be.

The most decisive factor in Rodri’s future is his own decision. Manchester City will embark on a new era next season with Pep Guardiola stepping aside as manager. Bernardo Silva’s decision to leave also ushers in a new era at City. Bernardo Silva and Rodri have formed a key part of City’s era of dominance. Rodri may feel that with Guardiola and Bernardo Silva leaving, now may be the time for him to leave City, especially when you factor in Rodri’s niggling injury issues that have persisted this season and how physically demanding the Premier League has become. Perhaps, Rodri may feel it is time to return to Spain and take up a new challenge.

Of course, it is hoped that Rodri extends his contract with Manchester City, given how important he is to his team. Fabrizio Romano’s latest update indicates that Rodri’s future remains uncertain. It seems real that another key figure at City could leave this summer. Now Rodri’s future is a major topic to monitor in the coming weeks.