Manchester City recently picked up another Premier League title in 2024-25 and are competing with Arsenal this season. The board is focused on keeping this run going by locking down the core of their starting eleven. Success at City depends on a specific type of player, someone who can handle complex roles while staying fit for a brutal English season. Since the club are competing at the very top of Europe, every contract talk is huge for their long-term plans.
Manchester City and the future of Rodri
The club are in a bit of a tough spot regarding their Spanish midfield star Rodri, even though he’s having a great season. Pete O’Rourke mentioned on the Transfer Insider podcast that City officials feel good about reaching a new deal, despite the player recently hinting at a move back home.
During the last international break, the midfielder admitted that Real Madrid have a massive history and said most players would find it hard to turn them down. As a result, City have moved quickly to offer a big extension that would make him the highest-paid player in his position.
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“Rodri, away on international duty with Spain, did leave the door open for a potential move to Real Madrid, saying that no player could turn down a move to the Spanish giants.
“Look, I think City are quite comfortable with the situation right now. He’s got a year to run his current contract.
“They have offered him a new deal. Talks are ongoing over trying to sort that out and tie him down to a new contract.”
Stats show the Spaniard has stayed incredibly consistent throughout the 2025/2026 season, racking up 1,245 minutes with an average FotMob rating of 7.49. Although he has only scored once this term, his value is about much more than just goals. He runs the tempo of every game. His numbers put him in the 48th percentile for non-penalty expected goals, showing he still gets into dangerous spots. Manchester City are in a decent position because it still has time left on its current contract, but they want to make sure it doesn’t get too close to the end of its deal. (Stats via Footy Stats)
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Losing a player like this would basically wreck the structure of Guardiola’s system. No one else offers that same level of ball control and defensive grit. If the club can’t convince him to stay, they’ll face the nearly impossible task of finding someone else who understands the demands of that lone pivot role.
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Real Madrid have a way of pulling elite talent back to La Liga, and Manchester City need to use both their financial power and their winning project to fight that off. I think the board should give him whatever he wants, because replacing what he brings would cost way more than a simple pay rise. If he leaves, it would shift the balance of power in Europe and could end City’s era of dominating the Premier League midfield.
