An unannounced bombshell: the full story of Rodri's switch from Real Madrid to Barcelona
Was the royal club right?
A press report has laid bare the behind-the-scenes drama of Real Madrid's failure to sign Rodri Hernandez, with Barcelona swooping to clinch the deal despite the Manchester City midfielder having dreamed of pulling on the royal white shirt since childhood.
According to the report published by the newspaper Marca, Rodri had waited years for his chance at Real Madrid. Twice, though, events took him elsewhere. The first came in 2019 when he swapped Atletico Madrid for Manchester City. The second arrived in the summer of 2026, when he chose Barcelona instead.
A missed opportunity since 2019
Marca explained that Rodri, during his time at Atletico Madrid, held on until the final moments hoping for an offer from Real Madrid before his move to Manchester City. The Merengues never made their move. They already boasted a midfield trio of Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro, and so the player decided to activate his release clause and join Pep Guardiola's side.
That switch proved the biggest turning point of his career, according to the report, with Guardiola drawing the very best out of the Spanish midfielder.
Real Madrid were not convinced
Real Madrid fans wanted Rodri this summer. Their board, according to "Marca", were not fully convinced.
That changed after the midfielder's outstanding World Cup. With him entering the final year of his contract and Pep Guardiola gone from Manchester City, signing him became a genuine opportunity. The move came late, though, and without full conviction. The player felt it.
Bombshell
"Marca" revealed a bombshell, a phrase repeated by officials inside the corridors of Valdebebas, which reads: "Rodri slows the pace of the ball down too much, and that is not what we are looking for."
According to the report, Real Madrid's officials wanted a more dynamic and powerful midfielder. That verdict came despite Rodri finishing the World Cup with a record: no player completed more passes in a single edition of the tournament, and his success rate topped 93%.
A significant difference in the negotiating approach
The newspaper confirmed that Florentino Pérez and José Ángel Sánchez had made contact with Rodri. The matter went no further than that, unlike the major deals Real Madrid usually pull off.
Barcelona, by contrast, threw everything at convincing the player. Deco, club president Joan Laporta and coach Hansi Flick all made contact with him, as did a host of the team's players, a clear signal of just how badly the Catalan club wanted the signing.
Money was not the reason
"Marca" stressed that the difference was not financial, as the offers presented by Real Madrid and Barcelona were very close.
What swayed Rodri was Barcelona's sporting project. It mirrors the playing style of world champions Spain, and he saw a team with a stable structure and a clear identity. Real Madrid's project, by contrast, struck him as still stuck in a phase of instability, hardly the fit for a player of thirty.
Contact and five attempts
Marca closed their report by revealing that Rodri, having made his final decision, called José Ángel Sánchez to thank the Real Madrid board for the respect they showed throughout the negotiations. He then waited for Barcelona to nail down a final agreement with Manchester City. It took five separate approaches before the English club agreed to sanction the transfer.
