Real Madrid are hoping to sign Rodri this summer, although their chances of securing his signature are no longer looking good. They had been firm favourites to win the race after agreeing personal terms with the 2026 World Cup Golden Ball winner, especially after it was reported that he would only consider a move to the Bernabeu, but now, the situation has changed drastically.

On Thursday, it was reported by The Athletic that Barcelona have initiated talks with Rodri’s representatives, with the player himself said to be attracted to the prospect of joining Hansi Flick’s squad this summer. Negotiations are also said to be underway with Manchester City, and if they get the green light, the Catalan club are likely to move quickly to close an agreement.

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To make matters worse, ESPN’s Rodra has now reported that Real Madrid are no longer confident of signing Rodri. They are starting to believe that he will not be brought to the Bernabeu this summer, which would open the door for Barcelona to get their man – and in the process, land a significant blow on Florentino Perez and co.

Losing out on Rodri would be big blow for Real Madrid

Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has been clear that a new defensive midfielder is a priority for him this summer. He only has Aurelien Tchouameni, Federico Valverde and Arda Guler as players in the position that he is absolutely counting on for the upcoming 2026-27 season, and after missing out on Enzo Fernandez, the signing of Rodri would have been an excellent one.

It would be particularly painful for Real Madrid to lose out on Rodri to Barcelona, but as things stand, that is starting to look like a reality. For now, they are still in the race, although that may not be the case for much longer.