By Sanjay Menon — 28 July 2026 — 3 min read Manchester City are preparing for potential bids for midfielder Rodri, with Real Madrid reportedly weighing up an offer. Despite this, City remains hopeful that the 30-year-old will agree to a new contract. Rodri’s current terms are set to expire next June, and he has not yet signed the new deal proposed by the club. Real Madrid has reportedly changed its previous stance of not being interested in Rodri, particularly after his performance as captain for Spain during their World Cup campaign, where he was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player. His reliability during the summer has also reportedly eased concerns about his physical condition following two seasons impacted by injuries. Rodri is scheduled to undergo surgery for a back injury after returning from North America. Interest from European Giants In March, Rodri hinted at a potential move to Real Madrid, stating that his past with Atlético would not prevent him from playing for their city rivals. He acknowledged that other players have made similar moves, suggesting that one cannot decline an opportunity from one of the world’s top clubs. Real Madrid’s interest in Rodri could also spark attention from other prominent clubs. Barcelona might consider a move for the midfielder, especially after Frenkie de Jong was ruled out for several months due to a medial collateral ligament injury. Paris Saint-Germain is also known to admire Rodri. Reports indicate that Paris Saint-Germain has made initial contact regarding a potential transfer for Rodri. While a deal for the former Atlético Madrid midfielder was not initially a priority for PSG, it is now seen as an opportunity in the market. Barcelona has also reportedly entered the race, contacting Rodri’s representatives after De Jong’s injury. Other Transfer Speculations Meanwhile, Manchester United are in advanced talks to loan Netherlands forward Joshua Zirkzee, 25, to Juventus for a season, with an option to buy at £30m. United also retains an interest in Aurélien Tchouaméni, a teammate of Eduardo Camavinga, who is also on United’s radar and could cost between €50m and €60m. In other transfer news, Leeds United is close to finalising a £40m deal to sign 23-year-old England goalkeeper James Trafford from Manchester City. Crystal Palace has reached an agreement on personal terms with 19-year-old French centre-back Raphael Le Guen from Brest. Sunderland has also agreed personal terms with 20-year-old Toulouse and France Under-21 left-back Dayann Methalie. Real Madrid is also reportedly making a second offer for Ivory Coast winger Yan Diomande, valued between £94m and £98m, but further discussions are needed to meet RB Leipzig‘s demands for the 19-year-old, who was also a target for Liverpool. Sevilla is reportedly willing to sell Ruben Vargas, 22, for 20m euros (£17m), with Brighton, Newcastle, and Aston Villa among the interested Premier League clubs for the 27-year-old Switzerland winger. Paris Saint-Germain’s Ibrahim Mbaye, 18, has been offered to both Liverpool and Manchester City, as his agents have clarified that the Senegal forward will not be joining Aston Villa this summer. Additionally, Paris Saint-Germain is interested in Parma‘s Zion Suzuki, the 23-year-old Japan goalkeeper who has been linked with Aston Villa and Juventus. Ipswich Town is reportedly interested in Fulham‘s 29-year-old Serbia international Sasa Lukic as one of their midfield targets this summer. Source: bbc.com Post navigation Glasgow: Tejaswin Shankar withdraws from high jump final at Commonwealth Games 2026 Former cricketer suggests Vaibhav Sooryavanshi to open with Rohit Sharma, Shubman Gill at No. 4