Rodri Hernandez opens door to Real Madrid move – “You can’t give up playing for the best clubs”

Real Madrid have drawn up plans to sign a new defensive midfielder during the upcoming summer transfer window. A number of options have already been considered by the club’s sporting department, with the most notable of those being Manchester City and Spain’s Rodri Hernandez.

Rodri has been on Real Madrid’s radar for some time, and given that he will soon enter the final 12 months of his Man City contract, there has been a belief that a cut-price deal can be agreed for the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner. However, that is far from guaranteed, with the Premier League giants determined to secure an agreement before the summer.

Whether Rodri joins Real Madrid this summer remains to be seen, but he has indicated during an interview with Onda Cero (via MD) that he would be open to a Bernabeu move. He believes it would be foolish to rule out that option, despite the fact that he previously played for Atletico Madrid.

“Having played for Atletico Madrid does not prevent me from playing for Real Madrid. There are more players who have gone down that path – not directly, but over time. You can’t give up the chance to play for the best clubs in the world.

“I don’t know. They don’t talk to me. They do it with my agent. But I would like to return, yes. Obviously, I have one year left on my contract. There will come a time when we will have to sit down and talk.”

Should Real Madrid go for Rodri?

Rodri was undoubtedly one of the best midfielders in the world prior to his ACL injury in 2024, and while he has been far away from that level since returning, he is still a fantastic player. €50m would be a lot of money to spend on a 29-year-old, and his age could play a big part in whether Florentino Perez sanctions a move.