Rodri to have back surgery as Real Madrid deny transfer link
Manchester City midfielder Rodri will undergo back surgery next week with no return date set, while Real Madrid have contacted City to deny transfer-agreement reports linking the World Cup Golden Ball winner to a move to the Bernabeu amid his final contract year.
New City coach Enzo Maresca confirmed Friday that the Spain captain’s operation is expected around Monday, then rest and recovery. A full prognosis remains unknown, according to reporting from The Athletic.
The timing lands just after Spain’s World Cup triumph and deepens questions about Rodri’s club future. For more sports-meets-innovation coverage, see our Future Tech & AI Wonders hub.
Key Takeaways
- Rodri will have back surgery next week; City have not given a return timeline.
- Real Madrid contacted Manchester City to reject reports of an agreed Rodri transfer.
- The 30-year-old World Cup Golden Ball winner has one year left on his City deal.
- Maresca says he wants Rodri to stay despite ongoing speculation.
- City open the 2026-27 season at home to Bournemouth on August 23.
Why is Rodri having back surgery now?
Rodri starred for Spain through eight World Cup matches and won the Golden Ball after the final against Argentina. That followed two injury-hit seasons at City after he ruptured his ACL in September 2024.
Fitness issues lingered last season, with hamstring and groin problems limiting him to 33 appearances in all competitions and 17 Premier League starts. The latest setback is a back injury requiring surgery, with no clear return window announced.
What does Real Madrid say about a Rodri transfer?
Rodri has long been linked with Real Madrid and has said he wants to return to Spain at some stage. The Athletic reported Madrid have no intention of signing him, while FOX Sports cited Spanish outlet AS saying Real contacted City to deny approach and pre-agreement claims.
Those reports left Los Blancos furious, insisting narratives of settled personal terms were unfounded. AS also framed Jose Mourinho’s more direct tactical model as a poor fit for Rodri’s possession-heavy game, though some Bernabeu voices still admire his World Cup form.
City, for their part, are said to be prepared to listen to offers around €60m as Rodri rejects a new deal in his final contract year.
When could Rodri return for Manchester City?
Maresca would not put a date on recovery. “Now (he has) surgery on, I think Monday, and he needs holiday. He needs to rest, he needs to recover and then he will be back here with us,” he said at his unveiling.
City’s campaign begins August 23 against Bournemouth, so an early return looks unlikely. Maresca played down transfer noise: every manager wants Rodri, he said, but the priority is surgery, rest, and getting him back at the Etihad.
Squad planning continues around him. City signed Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116million this summer, while Mateo Kovacic and Nico Gonzalez are considered likely leavers and Bernardo Silva has already departed after his contract expired.
How does this reshape City’s midfield plans?
Rodri remains a cornerstone of recent City success, including the 2022-23 treble and the Champions League final winner against Inter. His absence now tests Maresca’s first season after Pep Guardiola’s exit.
Until a medical update lands, the only firm facts are the surgery, the unknown return date, and Real Madrid’s public distancing from a transfer agreement. City must prepare without their Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder while his contract clock keeps ticking.