Posted by Chinenye on Wed 19th Aug, 2026 - tori.ng
Real Madrid came close to landing one of footballs biggest midfield targets, but the blockbuster move eventually slipped away.
(Spanish International Footballer Rodri Poses With a Jersey Bearing His Name. Photo by Sky Sports)
Real Madrid's coach José Mourinho has explained why the club couldn't sign Rodri from Manchester City, despite making him an attractive offer.
Rodri was a top target for Real Madrid during the summer transfer window, but the Spanish club eventually gave up on the deal. He later moved to Barcelona.
Mourinho said he spoke directly with Rodri a couple of times during the negotiations and confirmed that Madrid put together a very good proposal to try to convince the Spanish midfielder to join them.
The club also had a strong relationship with Manchester City and approached Rodri personally before speaking with the English club about a transfer.
But Rodri wasn't sure about making the move. According to Mourinho, the player's uncertainty was what ultimately caused Madrid to pull back from pursuing the deal further.
"Rodri had doubts, he hesitated and Rodri's doubts created doubts for me," Mourinho explained.
He added that Rodri is an incredible player and handled everything with respect during the process.
Mourinho said there was nothing negative about how Rodri dealt with the situation, but his hesitation meant the move never happened.