Manchester City gets desperate and offers astronomical salary to prevent Rodri from fleeing to world soccer giant

Manchester City are playing hard to avoid losing their Spanish gem, Rodri. With a contract until 2027, the midfielder who has become synonymous with consistency in Pep Guardiola's squad, is now the center of attention at the English club. What's at stake? No less than double his current salary, bringing his weekly earnings to £375,000, a figure worthy of stars like De Bruyne and Haaland. And, of course, this move has a clear motive: Real Madrid are circling like a hungry shark, eyeing the prize.

Follow Playing for 90 on X (Twitter).

It's undeniable that Manchester City have every reason in the world to keep Rodri under their wing. The guy simply dominated the Premier League last season, being one of the main driving forces behind the team's unprecedented four consecutive league titles. What's more, Rodri has not only adapted perfectly to English soccer, but has also established himself as one of the best in the world in his position.

What about Real Madrid? Well, if there's one thing the Merengues know how to do, it's recognize talent. And they're watching. Rodri isn't just a name on Madrid's radar, he's a coveted asset. Voted best player at the 2024 European Championship, with all the pomp, the Spaniard is already rumored to be in the top five for the Ballon d'Or.

But, returning to City, the idea of losing Rodri is almost unthinkable for Guardiola. We're talking about a player who, contrary to what many might think, is just as important as the team's attacking stars. Sure, Haaland is the guy who scores the goals and De Bruyne is the maestro with his assists, but Rodri is the axis that keeps everything spinning in midfield. He's the guy who does the dirty work, who keeps the team balanced both defensively and offensively. The numbers don't lie: last season he averaged an insane 121 touches per game, with 95% accuracy. And the most impressive thing is that this figure doesn't drop even in the final third of the pitch. He's the kind of player who, by the time you realize he's there, it's too late. He's already taken control of the game.

No wonder City are willing to double his salary. A player like Rodri is not easy to replace. He's the kind of player that makes a team champions or just competitive. And Real Madrid know this. They know that by adding Rodri to their squad, they would be guaranteeing a solidity in midfield that would make any opponent tremble. But Guardiola isn't going to hand over his trump card. The Catalan coach has already made it clear that Rodri is far from for sale, and this astronomical salary offer is proof of that.

Rodri is also a symbol of how modern soccer values not only players who appear on the front page of newspapers for their goals or assists, but also those who are real pillars on the pitch. He is the embodiment of Guardiola's soccer: control, precision, vision and commitment. For Real Madrid, bringing in Rodri would mean much more than signing an elite midfielder. It would be a psychological blow to City and, at the same time, a big step towards rebuilding a new era of domination.

But does Rodri want this change? Would he swap the comfort and success he found in Manchester for the challenge of returning to LaLiga, now in a rival's shirt? Guardiola, of course, doesn't want to find out. He has already made it clear that, for City, Rodri is untouchable. But soccer is unpredictable. And, as the old saying goes, where there's smoke, there's fire. And Real Madrid know like no-one else how to stoke that fire.