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Manchester City midfielder Rodri appears set to follow manager Pep Guardiola out of the Etihad Stadium, with Real Madrid reportedly preparing to make their move for the Spanish star.

Reports from Spain suggest that Rodri is closing in on a switch to Real Madrid, with local media describing the 29-year-old’s ambition to play at the Santiago Bernabéu as his “great unfulfilled dream.”

Manchester City’s 1-1 draw against Bournemouth last night confirmed Arsenal as Premier League champions for the first time in 22 years. The result means Guardiola has now gone two straight seasons without a league title – a first in his illustrious managerial career.

Speculation continues to grow that the Catalan coach will end his ten-year reign at Manchester City this summer, sparking talk of a possible mass departure of key players.

Although Guardiola refused to confirm rumours about his exit after securing 20 trophies in a decade in English football, several senior players have already decided to move on.

Bernardo Silva and John Stones are both expected to leave the club, and with Rodri long admired by Real Madrid, Spanish outlet Marca has placed the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner on its front page, highlighting his “willingness to join [Real]” which could smooth the path for a summer transfer.

FourFourTwo reports that preliminary talks over a new contract between City and Rodri took place earlier this year. However, with Toni Kroos retiring and Real Madrid still searching for a deep-lying playmaker, the Spanish champions have renewed their interest in the midfielder.

According to Sport Witness, Spanish media sources claim that Rodri is determined to fulfil his “dream” of returning to Madrid, where he previously played for Atletico before joining Manchester City.

Guardiola’s potential departure could open the door for Rodri—ranked No. 6 in FourFourTwo’s list of the world’s best defensive midfielders—to complete his move to the Bernabéu. Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez is said to have “eased tensions” with Rodri following his Ballon d’Or win over Real’s own Vinícius Jr., making personal terms unlikely to be an issue.

Meanwhile, Eduardo Camavinga has reportedly been left out of France’s 2026 World Cup squad and may consider ending his five-year spell in Spain to pursue a fresh challenge elsewhere.

The main obstacle to Rodri’s transfer remains Manchester City’s stance on selling him, particularly given that two major players are already departing alongside Guardiola’s expected exit.

With Rodri’s contract set to expire next summer, FourFourTwo suggests that the most plausible scenario could see him leave on a free transfer in 2025, following the same path as David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger, and Kylian Mbappé—all players who joined Real Madrid on free deals engineered by Pérez.

However, with Rodri anticipated to be part of Spain’s 2026 World Cup squad, any transfer negotiations are expected to take place only after the tournament concludes.

Rodri currently has a market value of €65 million, according to Transfermarkt. Manchester City will wrap up their Premier League campaign this weekend against Aston Villa.