By Kwame Bediako
Real Madrid head coach Jose Mourinho has revealed that Spain midfielder Rodri hesitated over a switch to the Santiago Bernabéu, and that those doubts ultimately led Madrid to walk away. Speaking on Spanish show El Chiringuito, Mourinho said: “I spoke with [Rodri] a couple of times. The club made him an important offer… Rodri had doubts, he doubted, and I think what happened is that the doubts Rodri had, gave me doubts.”
Rodri chooses Barcelona instead
Rodri, 30, completed a high-profile move from Manchester City to Barcelona on a four-year deal running to 2030 after helping Spain win the 2026 FIFA World Cup, where he was named the tournament’s best player. Barcelona agreed a fee with City of around £65 million (about €76.5 million / $88.5 million), with the Spanish champions paying roughly €60 million up front plus add-ons.
Real Madrid were leading contenders
Real Madrid had been widely seen as favourites to sign Rodri, but he ultimately turned down their approach to join Barça. Mourinho explained that while he rates Rodri as “an extraordinary player”, he felt Real Madrid are “so big that we can’t have players who think twice”.
“Dream” move for Rodri
Rodri described joining Barcelona as a “dream” and said he was ready to “feel that excitement again” after seven trophy-laden seasons at Manchester City. His arrival at Camp Nou ends one of the summer’s longest transfer sagas and gives Barcelona a World Cup-winning midfield anchor for the next phase of their project.
