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Rodri reached the pinnacle of global soccer when he hoisted the World Cup as Spain captain after their 1-0 final victory over Argentina in New Jersey.
The Manchester City midfielder also received the FIFA Golden Ball to recognise him as the best player at a tournament where global superstars such as Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe and Erling Haaland have all shone.
It marked an incredible recovery for the 30-year-old, who was in the early stages of recovery from ACL surgery when he won the Ballon d'Or in 2024.
Much of the past couple of years has been spent battling for fitness and form. After bringing it all together brilliantly in North America this summer, all eyes are on Rodri's next move.
MORE: Rodri's unassuming brilliance wins out despite standing in contrast to star-driven 2026 World Cup
Will Rodri sign for Real Madrid?
Transfers expert Fabrizio Romano claimed on July 22 that Rodri "really, really tries his best to get the opportunity and go to Real Madrid".
Speaking on his YouTube channel, Romano added: "It's a dream for Rodri to play for Real Madrid. It's a desire for Rodri to go back to Spain. So, all these stories are building because Rodri's dream is to wear Real Madrid's shirt."
According to Romano, the key to the deal is Real Madrid president Florentino Perez, who has not previously been overly enthusiastic about pursuing a deal. But his old Galacticos urge might have been tickled by the sight of a Spanish captain lifting the World Cup, something that meant Rodri followed in the footsteps of Real Madrid great and Spain's triumphant 2010 captain Iker Casillas.
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Rodri's Man City contract
Rodri's Manchester City contract expires at the end of June 2027.
It is uncommon for clubs to allow a key player to let their deal run into the final year, although in this instance, Rodri's ACL and meniscus surgery following an injury in a September 2024 match against Arsenal provide important context.
Rodri returned to action with a brief substitute cameo in City's 3-1 win over Bournemouth in May 2025, meaning an initial nine months out.
However, an injury setback suffered against Al Hilal in the Club World Cup meant he missed City's opening game of the 2025/26 Premier League season at Wolves.
Further hamstring and groin problems meant Rodri missed 15 Premier League matchdays last season.
Rodri is one of City's top earners, with Capology estimating he takes home £220,000 ($294,000) weekly and, at 30, is possibly approaching the final huge-money contract of his career.
On ability and pedigree alone, it is easy to envisage Rodri wanting a deal that puts him only behind Erling Haaland's estimated basic £400,000 per week. However, the need for City to weigh this against lingering doubts over his fitness and capacity to maintain peak form over the long term is a factor in Rodri's contract entering its final 12 months.
If there is no extension by January, he would be free to sign a contract with a club outside of the Premier League, something that feels very plausible for Madrid given their free-transfer moves for the likes of Kylian Mbappe and Trent Alexander-Arnold over recent seasons.
The question is whether Madrid are persuaded to make enquiries this summer and if City would even be willing to entertain them. Elliot Anderson has just arrived from Nottingham Forest for £116m, and the England midfielder learning the ropes alongside Rodri for a year could have benefits beyond any transfer fee they might receive, for example.
Pep Guardiola's usual policy at City was that if players wished to leave, they could go so long as they brought in an offer that was acceptable to the club. It remains to be seen whether successor Enzo Maresca continues this or takes a more hardline stance.
If City were to lose Rodri, having already witnessed the departures of Guardiola and long-serving players John Stones and Bernardo Silva, who joined Madrid on a free transfer last month, it would add up to a startling loss of experience for a squad that has bade farewell to the likes of Kevin De Bruyne, Ilkay Gundogan and Kyle Walker over recent years.
Man City record without Rodri
For a team that generally found its strength in the collective during the Guardiola era, City became remarkably reliant on Rodri over recent seasons.
When they won a record fourth Premier League title in succession in 2023/24, Rodri did not suffer defeat in a single top-flight match. He was suspended for losses at Wolves and Arsenal and injured for a reverse at Aston Villa. After the latter loss at Villa Park on December 6, City went through the rest of the league season unbeaten.
Around a month after Rodri suffered his ACL injury, City's 2024/25 season spectacularly fell apart as they won just one of 13 games across all competitions in a slump spanning November and December.
Even after such a prolonged period without him in the team and following the addition of central midfielders Nico Gonzalez and Tijjani Reijnders, City were a far more effective team with a fit and on-form Rodri last season.
He started just two of their six Premier League losses and impressed in City's victories over Arsenal and Chelsea respectively in the Carabao and FA Cup finals.
MORE: Complete highlights of Spain's victory against Argentina
Man City Rodri replacements
City's preference would clearly be to use record signing Elliot Anderson alongside Rodri, although he would be the obvious candidate to start the season at the base of the midfield if the Spain captain moves on.
The Premier League club have also been linked to an £85m move for Lille's highly-rated Morocco teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Nico Gonzalez is a specialist holding midfielder already in the building, while Tijjani Reijnders can also play in deeper roles. Both men were signed during City's 2025 refit but appeared to lose the faith of Guardiola during the closing months of last season. Both will likely welcome a fresh start under Maresca.
Experienced Croatia international Mateo Kovacic and youth team graduate Rico Lewis are other alternatives in the squad, but it would not be a surprise to see either move elsewhere this summer.
What's indisputable is that City never convincingly found a way to operate at full capacity during Rodri's spells on the sidelines over the past couple of years. A move to Madrid this summer would feel seismic and make Enzo Maresca's job of following Pep Guardiola even tougher.
