Real Madrid News
New details emerge on Real Madrid’s pursuit of Rodri and why the transfer failed
It has been a while since Real Madrid closed the Rodri file once and for all after being linked with the Manchester City midfielder for much of the summer.
Around 10 days ago, it emerged that Barcelona had leapfrogged Los Blancos and assumed pole position in the race to sign the 30-year-old.
The Spaniard eventually gave his green light to the Catalans and informed Madrid that he had chosen another destination.
Los Blancos have since set their sights on other potential midfield reinforcements to strengthen the deep-lying playmaker role.
Now, according to MARCA, fresh details have emerged over Real Madrid’s failed pursuit of Rodri.
Florentino and Jose Angel Sanchez made direct contact
Despite seeming interested in signing Rodri, Los Blancos’ pursuit never truly convinced the player from the beginning.
Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez contacted Rodri personally during the summer, but Madrid still had internal doubts over whether the 30-year-old was exactly the midfielder the squad needed.
There was a belief inside the club that the Spaniard lingered on the ball for way too long and wouldn’t suit the style of game Jose Mourinho’s teams play.
Rodri had long admired Real Madrid, and playing at the Santiago Bernabeu had been a dream of his.
However, the eventual approach from the Spanish club did not go the way Rodri was expecting.
Madrid were interested, but they were not completely convinced that committing heavily to the Spain international was the correct sporting decision.
Mourinho never called Rodri
Another interesting piece of information concerns Jose Mourinho.
Unlike several other summer targets, the Real Madrid coach did not personally contact Rodri during the process.
That is important because Mourinho has already used direct conversations to convince players such as Yan Diomande and Carlos Espi of their place within his project.
Rodri did not receive that same treatment.
For a player deciding between two elite clubs, those small signals can matter. A transfer of this magnitude is not only about salary and reputation, but also about feeling genuinely wanted.
Barcelona, on the other hand, showed that they cared about him through Hansi Flick and a host of his Spanish teammates.
A dream move that did not feel like one
The irony of the whole transfer is that Rodri always dreamed of playing for Real Madrid.
Yet when the call finally came, Madrid’s uncertainty seems to have pushed him further away rather than closer to the club.
Barcelona, by contrast, had a sporting project that was crying out for someone just like the Spaniard to come in and take it to the next level.
It is quite baffling to realise that Madrid were not convinced by Rodri’s sporting fit, because he is the exact profile their midfield currently lacks.
However, the club made a decision that prompted the player to make another decision, and this will go down as a story of what could have been between Rodri and Madrid.
According to TeamTalk, Real Madrid have joined the growing list of clubs monitoring Gabriel Rajkovic, a 15-year-old winger whose rapid development at Valerenga has already attracted attention from several of Europe’s leading sides.
The Merengues are known for keeping an eye on exciting young talent across the globe and it seems that Rajkovic’s exploits in Norway, with the first team, have alerted them.
Real Madrid keeping tabs on Rajkovic
As per the report, Real Madrid are among a host of clubs closely following the progress of the young forward.
Rajkovic holds both Norwegian and Serbian nationality and has emerged as one of the most promising young players in Norway.
His development has not gone unnoticed, with Barcelona, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund also understood to be monitoring him.
However, at this point, it is Arsenal and Chelsea, who are understood to be leading the charge for Rajkovic, having compiled a detailed dossier on the teenage prodigy after extensive scouting.
On top of that, the likes of Liverpool, Manchester City, Manchester United and Tottenham Hotspur have all watched Rajkovic in recent weeks.
Real Madrid could therefore face significant competition if they decide to step up their interest in a player who has already made an impression at senior level.
Making an impact at just 15
Rajkovic was handed a promotion to the Valerenga first-team squad in January earlier this year, when he was only 14 years old.
Following that, he signed a new contract with the club in March, when he turned 15, committing to the club until 2028.
Despite being only 15, the winger has already begun gaining experience in first-team football. In all, he has made 14 senior appearances for the Norwegian outfit, scoring three and assisting one goal.
Rajkovic has also represented Norway Under-16s, making two appearances and scoring once despite being younger than many of his teammates.
Those numbers become more impressive when his age and stage of development are taken into account.
Real Madrid have built a reputation for identifying young talent well before players reach their peak, and Rajkovic has now emerged as another name on their scouting radar.
But given the number of clubs in the race, signing the teenage wonderkid will not be easy.
