'I've already let him know!' - Rodri told to leave Man City with Spain team-mate Dani Carvajal pushing for Real Madrid reunion

Real Madrid have been left without the composure and experience of legends Toni Kroos and Luka Modric in the middle of the park, with Carvajal now openly expressing his desire to see Rodri leave Manchester City and reunite with him at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Madrid have been desperate to sign a ball-playing midfielder since Kroos retired last summer, with the need to reinforce midfield becoming a more urgent task after Modric's departure to AC Milan ahead of the new season. Oftentimes, Madrid scrambled to keep the ball and looked like an imbalanced unit on the field. This summer, there were reports Los Blancos would sign a central midfielder or pivot. Angelo Stiller's name floated around the media, although no developments took place. Rodri, too, was linked at a point, but no move materialised. In response to Madrid's interest, City are reportedly set to offer a bumper contract to the 29-year-old until 2029. It is believed that Madrid will make a serious push to sign the Spain star in the summer of 2026.

Speaking on COPE's El Partidazoprogram, Carvajal said of the prospect of a reunion at Madrid: "I've already let him know. I hope he can be with us at the club in the future because he's a great player, but for now, I understand that he's just coming off a long-term injury and that he wants to repay the trust they've placed in the club."

The Madrid academy graduate is into the final chapter of his career, although he inarguably still remains one of the best right-backs in the world. The arrival of Trent Alexander-Arnold could see his role getting reduced this season. In the interview, he shared his ideal retirement plan. 

"Seventh Champions League and World Cup with Spain next summer? I'll sign it right now," he said. "I'm retiring, I'll sign it here. Well, not, because I really like football, I'm not going to sign it, but it would be a fantastic scenario. Step by step, I'm coming from what I've come from, so I want to enjoy every afternoon training session today, because I've enjoyed it a lot. I want to enjoy it because in the end, when you're injured, you value that much more, every training session, every game, every meal with your teammates, and I want to enjoy it."