Manchester City’s race to lock down Rodri before World Cup final

Manchester City need to secure Rodri before the World Cup final because his contract expires in the summer and the club wants to lock down the Spain international before the tournament, while Real Madrid have publicly ruled out any attempt to sign him.

Pep Guardiola made the prediction months ago that Rodri would be the best player at the World Cup and the following season. “At the World Cup will be the best Rodri and next season will be the best Rodri,” he said in October while the midfielder was still recovering from an ACL injury.

Rodri returned from a 15‑month absence caused by the anterior cruciate ligament injury and now dictates space, pace, rhythm and territory as an elite holding midfielder. His presence makes Manchester City more coherent and Spain look more complete when he is on the pitch.

The Athletic reported real doubts within Manchester City and the Spain set‑up about whether the 2023 Ballon d’Or winner could regain full form. A disrupted recovery, frustration with the medical process and the physical demands of his role created uncertainty.

When Rodri is out, Manchester City’s control drops, and the same effect is seen for Spain. His ability to make everyone else look better is evident whenever he occupies the heart of midfield.

Rodri’s current deal expires next summer and the club have been doing everything to persuade him to sign a new contract. So far progress has been limited and talks are set to be revisited after the World Cup.

Rodri has been repeatedly linked with Real Madrid and has expressed openness to playing at the Santiago Bernabeu, but the Spanish giants have emphatically said they have no intention of signing him. Sources close to rival presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme claimed he would have signed Rodri had he won the election.

With one year left on his contract, clubs across Europe will monitor the situation. If City cannot secure a renewal, the market could see an elite midfielder become available for less than usual, altering calculations for any major side needing a controller.

On the eve of the World Cup final against Argentina, Spain’s 2‑0 win over France highlighted Rodri’s impact in suffocating the opposition. Argentina present a different problem with Lionel Messi, and Rodri will need to be the first pass, resist pressure and deny transitions to help Spain repeat the performance.

Every minute of the final will be watched through the lens of Rodri’s contract. An in‑form, fully restored Rodri is among the rarest assets in the game, giving a coach control – the most expensive commodity in elite football – and City know that already.