Spain’s World Cup hero is ‘keen on joining’ Real Madrid – report

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Madrid Universal

16 July 2026

Rodri’s future is once again becoming one of the most talked-about stories of the summer, with fresh claims suggesting the Manchester City midfielder would welcome the opportunity to join

Real Madrid

if the Spanish giants decide to pursue a deal.

The Spain international has been linked with a return to La Liga in recent months, although reports have consistently suggested that

Florentino Perez has reservations about investing

heavily in a player who is now 30 years old.

Despite that caution, however, the debate within

has not disappeared.

In fact, influential figures within the club still view

Rodri

as the

ideal midfielder to strengthen Jose Mourinho’s squad

, particularly after his outstanding performances during the 2026

FIFA

World Cup

Now, according to the latest information from Ramon Alvarez de Mon, relayed by

Defensa Central

, it has come to light that

is “very keen” on making the move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Before making any final decision,

wanted to evaluate how

responded after recovering from the serious knee injury that disrupted part of his campaign.

His displays for Spain at the

World Cup have gone a long way

towards answering those questions.

Rodri wants to play for

. (Photo by Florencia Tan Jun/Getty Images)

The midfielder has consistently performed at the highest level throughout the tournament, showing the composure, defensive intelligence and passing range that have made him one of the world’s leading players in his position.

Explaining why his opinion has changed, Alvarez de Mon said,

“Rodri is very keen to return to Spain and play for

. The club was going to evaluate his season with City and his

performance with Spain after his knee injury.

“Mourinho needs one of the best midfielders in the world, and he is one. I had my doubts because he’s turned 30 and had a complicated knee injury,

which could lead to other muscle injuries.

“But I’ve seen enough, and I’ve seen a player who has returned to his best form.

Rodri’s

performances have reignited the debate. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

“He’s been playing at maximum intensity for almost four weeks now, and he’s improving,”

said the journalist.

While Rodri’s form has reignited the conversation, it does not necessarily mean a transfer is close.

Reports in recent weeks have indicated that Florentino Perez remains unconvinced about committing significant resources to a player entering the later stages of his career, particularly after a major knee injury.

That position explains why

have not yet accelerated negotiations despite the midfielder’s impressive performances.

At the same time, Mourinho is understood to value experience alongside technical excellence in midfield, making

an attractive profile for the club.

Rodri’s World Cup heroics show he is exactly what Real Madrid are missing in midfield

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