Rodri has revealed how hard Real Madrid pushed to sign him this summer, and called the eventual decision to pick Barcelona instead a “complicated” one.
The 30-year-old was at the center of a Clásico transfer tug-of-war, with both Real Madrid and Barcelona pushing for his signature when it became clear he would leave Manchester City.
Madrid were seen as the initial frontrunners to land Rodri and new manager José Mourinho was a known fan of the midfielder who captained Spain to World Cup success in North America.
However, Barcelona, animated by the need to secure a replacement for the injured Frenkie de Jong, ramped up their pursuit and ultimately won the transfer race, striking a blow to their great rivals.
Rodri Says Madrid ‘Went All Out’ to Sign Him
Speaking to El Partidazo de COPE, Rodri opened up about Madrid’s interest and how close he came to making a different decision.
“From my position, I have to say that Madrid showed interest from the very beginning, that they behaved in an exemplary manner,” said Rodri.
“It’s clear they were interested and went all out with what they had, showing their interest, which I appreciate, because I spoke with some of them and that’s it.
“I spoke with people there, who conveyed their enthusiasm and desire for me to go there, and that also made my decision more complicated, that’s clear.”
Even Mourinho Couldn’t Convince Rodri
The former Manchester City star also revealed that he had direct talks with Mourinho, admitting he was “attracted” by the manager.
“My relationship with Mourinho was very good,” he said. “He conveyed his enthusiasm, his playing philosophy, what I could contribute, what he wanted from me, and I was very attracted to him.”
On why he picked Barça over Madrid in the end, Rodri put the choice down to a number of factors—as much as it irked his Los Blancos supporting friends.
He continued: “My decision was based on football: where I could grow and contribute more, lead a team full of young players, and with the style of play I understand. There were no sentimental or financial reasons involved.
“Almost all my friends are Real Madrid fans, but I put an end to the matter right away: ‘Don’t mess with me, if you can spare us the jokes, we’ll keep them to ourselves.’”
Controller’s Absence Felt at Madrid
After failing to get the Rodri deal over the line, Real Madrid did not sign a midfielder during the summer transfer window—despite links to the likes of Enzo Fernández and Ayyoub Bouaddi, both of whom joined Manchester City.
Rodri had been earmarked as the kind of elite deep-lying controller that Madrid’s engine room has been missing since Toni Kroos retired in 2024.
At the outset of 2026–27, Mourinho has experimented with a number of midfield combinations in his preferred 4-2-3-1 system, with Federico Valverde, Aurélien Tchouaméni, Bernardo Silva, Eduardo Camavinga and academy graduate Thiago Pitarch all able to operate in the two pivot roles.
None of the above names has the same profile as Rodri, however, and control has been an issue for Los Blancos in recent weeks, most notably in the 2–1 derby defeat to Atlético Madrid prior to the international break.
Rodri, meanwhile, has enjoyed a 100% start to the season with Barcelona, featuring in six out of seven La Liga games so far.
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