Selling Rodri to Real Madrid would leave Enzo Maresca with a massive midfield problem at Man City

Rodri's career had been significantly disrupted by a dreaded ACL rupture he suffered in September 2024, a month before he lifted the Ballon d'Or in Paris, with a series of subsequent niggles largely stopping him from regaining his flow.

City will point to the midfielder's sporadic absence and the repeated need to be ease him back into action as a huge part of the reason why they have been unable to claim the league title since the 2023-24 campaign, before his injury troubles began, having previously dominated. He had only ever missed seven games for the club before that.

However, Rodri delivered a timely reminder of what he is capable of on the very biggest stage this summer - just as Guardiola predicted would be the case in October last year when he said: "In the World Cup, he will be the best Rodri, and next season he will be the best Rodri."

The 30-year-old was instrumental in Spain's World Cup triumph in North America, setting the tempo from the base of midfield for Luis de la Fuente's side and breaking up countless attacks going the other way.

This was more evidence, if we needed it, that Rodri will be simply irreplaceable for City when the time comes for him to depart. And they may well be deprived of "the best Rodri" if he senses that that moment has come after Guardiola's glittering era came to an end, with just one year to run on his contract.

For his part, Guardiola's replacement, former City first-team coach and Chelsea boss Maresca, is completely unsurprised in the interest in his midfield lynchpin, although he should arguably be much more concerned about the player's potential exit.

"First of all I have to say, that around big players there are always speculations so I am not worried about that," the Italian tactician said in his first press conference since beginning work at the City Campus. "I think it is normal, also because they won the World Cup, because he is one of the best players.

"I think every manager wants to have Rodri because he is a top player. But now, surgery on Monday [on his back]. He needs a holiday, he needs to rest and recover and then he will be back with us."

What the new manager must remember is that Rodri has been and would continue to be essential to the way City play, drifting between various roles in Maresca's typically fluid system and springing attacks from deep, not to mention the leadership qualities he brings as a World Cup-winning captain.

Beyond Rodri and new £116 million ($155m) man Elliot Anderson, Maresca is not inheriting a City squad blessed with many midfielders who have shown the calibre required to carry the Spaniard's mantle forward, and that should be a serious worry for the coach if his maestro does return to his homeland this summer.

Would-be like-for-like replacement Nico Gonzalez - signed in part to cover for his compatriot during his ACL layoff - has been one of the lowlights of City's January splurge in 2025, seemingly failing to make any lasting impression on Guardiola and spending the majority of the second half of last season sat on the bench. It's been suggested that he could be sold.

Tijjani Reijnders, too, has failed to impress on a consistent basis after making a fast start following his £46m move from AC Milan last summer, also finding himself playing much more of a bit-part role after the turn of the year. Presumably the hope will be that he can step up next term having adapted to the rigours of English football.

Then we have Mateo Kovacic, Rico Lewis and Kalvin Phillips, who have all reportedly been deemed surplus to requirements at the Etihad. If you also remove Rodri from the midfield equation, then City would suddenly have a hell of a lot of work to do in the transfer window.

While he surely would have relished playing alongside Rodri, Anderson will sense an opportunity to establish himself as the club's new No.6 if the Ballon d'Or winner does head to Madrid.

Across his meteoric rise at Nottingham Forest, during which he became a key part of Thomas Tuchel's England side, the 23-year-old has swiftly established himself as one of the finest all-round midfielders around, with his abilities as a combative, deep-lying playmaker making him stand out in particular.

Last season in the Premier League, Anderson won possession more times than anyone else (306) and won the most duels (297), while he still topped the creativity charts for Forest despite the presence of Morgan Gibbs-White, setting up 54 opportunities for his team-mates, of which nine were big chances. At the 2026 World Cup, he made the joint-most tackles (18) - a title that he shared with Rodri himself.

In short, he can do it all, and he looks ready to shoulder the responsibility of being City's new midfield lynchpin should the Spaniard depart.

However, he could well have support. It's been reported that the club might expediate the arrival of defensive-midfield target Ayyoub Bouaddi, the breakout star of Morocco's World Cup campaign, depending on what happens with Rodri. It had previously been suggested that they would immediately loan the 18-year-old back to Lille.

Nevertheless, Man City are about to embark on what is certain to be a gruelling transition under their new manager, with Guardiola leaving an unfillable void at the heart of the club. The loss of yet another senior member of the squad would only make that all the more difficult.

Key dressing room figures Bernardo Silva - who was named captain last season - and John Stones have already moved on at the end of their contracts, joining Madrid and Inter respectively, stripping Maresca of two serial-winning leaders.

When combined with Guardiola's emotional exit, that is already a seismic change for City. Retaining Rodri would at least offer a modicum of reassurance, but the mere notion of him leaving really drives home the challenge at hand.

The club hierarchy will be determined to avoid the level of instability that beset the likes of Manchester United and Arsenal after their own legacy managers, Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger, stepped aside, but there is no guarantee that Maresca will be a roaring success in light of his mixed time at Chelsea.

Much would depend on some much-needed continuity around the Italian, but Rodri's potential move to Real Madrid would only add to the chaos.

Maresca, though, is keeping a calm head as he prepares for what will be the biggest challenge of his managerial career to date.

"I want to say it is a privilege because the reason why the club decided to go for me, that is a privilege," he said when asked about following in Guardiola's footsteps. "I have said many times, I consider Pep the best coach in the world in the last 20-25 years. It is a challenge.

"Also the history of the manager with many years in the same club, they struggle a bit. Sir Alex, Arsene. But it is also a challenge to do the right things."

Whatever happens, the former Chelsea head coach believes "time" will be key. "I know the organisation quite well and the people inside the club from years ago. I just said before that when a club has three [sic] managers in almost 20 years, it shows how serious [they are]. The structure understands to give time for everything.

"The organisation is the main thing. This club and organisation has had three [sic] managers in 17 years. That is not normal and has not happened often. I am confident that we can continue to do a great job and continue to do the job that has been done in the last 14, 15 years since Roberto Mancini was here."

Despite his relaxed stance, it's going to be a bumpy ride at the Etihad next season. Maresca will desperately hope that he has Rodri by his side.