Real Madrid have made a fresh move to sign Spain international Rodri, the Manchester City midfielder, as Jose Mourinho pushes for a heavyweight addition to his engine room.
Spanish newspaper "El Pais"report that Florentino Perez has come round to the idea of signing Rodri. Talks are ongoing at the Bernabeu over the length of the contract, somewhere between three and four years.
Some reservations remain. The player has turned 30 and underwent knee surgery following a cruciate ligament rupture. Even so, the majority at Real Madrid feel optimistic about his physical and technical level after the recovery period.
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Rodri, for his part, is trying to open the door to Real Madrid, especially after refusing to renew his contract with Manchester City, which expires in June 2027.
Should he hold firm, he will be free to sign for any club on a free transfer from next January. That hands him a strong negotiating card if he decides to leave this summer.
Madrid's interest in Rodri goes back years. The club turned him down in 2018 for 20 million euros, before he moved to Atletico Madrid and then Manchester City.
Juni Calafat was among the most prominent opponents of the deal at the time. Now Rodri enjoys the backing of Mourinho and Jose Angel Sanchez.
Mourinho believes adding Rodri would give Real Madrid a big leap. He reckons the Spanish midfielder, alongside the current squad, can lift the team to a level that makes it better able to compete with Paris Saint-Germain, Arsenal and Bayern Munich at the summit of European football.