Real Madrid News
Real Madrid working to sign Manchester City midfield general with renewal talks not progressing
In a major development, David Ornstein of The Athletic reports that Real Madrid have launched an operation to sign Manchester City’s midfield anchor Rodri, dramatically shifting their summer transfer strategy to secure the newly crowned World Cup winner.
Formal club-to-club negotiations between the Spanish heavyweights and the Premier League giants have yet to officially take place.
But those at Valdebebas are growing increasingly confident that a definitive agreement can be reached.
The board is currently operating under the firm assumption that the Spain international will be joining the club before the conclusion of the summer window.
U-Turn driven by World Cup glory
The sudden pursuit represents a total reversal of Madrid’s previous market planning.
Throughout the early months of the summer, sources at the Bernabeu repeatedly insisted that Rodri was not part of their recruitment strategy.
However, the club’s stance completely transformed following the midfielder’s return from the FIFA World Cup in North America.
Rodri’s unparalleled performance levels and his pivotal role in captaining Luis de la Fuente’s side to back-to-back major tournament trophies heavily influenced Florentino Perez’s decision to sanction a move.
Starting and captaining his country across all eight matches, his exceptional tournament culminated in him lifting the prestigious Golden Ball after Spain defeated Argentina in a dramatic final.
Pressure on Man City
For Manchester City, the situation represents an escalating crisis during a period of massive structural transition.
New manager Enzo Maresca remains determined to keep the 30-year-old at the heart of his tactical plans for the upcoming 2026-27 campaign, and City executives remain in active dialogue with the player’s camp over his long-term future.
However, their leverage is rapidly diminishing. Rodri has officially entered the final 12 months of his contract, which runs until June 2027.
Despite City’s persistent efforts to schedule high-level extension talks immediately after the World Cup, the player has so far shown little to no desire to renew his deal in England.
The allure of a homecoming
The move to the Bernabeu aligns perfectly with Rodri’s long-standing personal and professional ambitions.
The midfield general has frequently spoken about his profound desire to return to his home country before the end of his playing career, openly acknowledging the unique prestige associated with wearing the white shirt.
“Would I like to play in Spain again, in La Liga, in Madrid? I would like to return, yes, obviously,” Rodri candidly told reporters during the March international break.
While a looming surgery to resolve a persistent back issue adds a layer of medical complication regarding his exact return date, Real Madrid remain undeterred, viewing the midfielder as the ultimate Galactico signing to solidify their team.
Real Madrid and Inter Milan are two clubs where history carries an unusual amount of weight.
The white shirt of Real Madrid and the famous black-and-blue stripes of Inter have been worn by some of football’s greatest players, with both clubs demanding not only talent but the ability to handle enormous expectations.
Moving between the two is therefore no ordinary career decision.
The clubs operate in different football cultures, compete in different domestic environments and have their own tactical traditions, but the pressure attached to representing either institution is remarkably similar.
Despite that, a select group of players have experienced both worlds.
Some arrived at Real Madrid after making their name in Italy, while another made his reputation in Madrid before becoming a key figure in one of Inter’s greatest teams.
On that note, here are three footballers you might have forgotten who represented both Real Madrid and Inter Milan during their careers.
Roberto Carlos: From Inter disappointment to Real Madrid legend
Few players are as synonymous with Real Madrid as Roberto Carlos.
The Brazilian left-back became a cult hero at the Santiago Bernabeu, but his European journey took him to Italy before Madrid. In 1995, he joined Inter Milan and spent one season with the Nerazzurri.
It was a productive campaign on an individual level. Roberto Carlos made 34 appearances and scored seven goals, which is an extraordinary return for a defender and an early indication of the attacking qualities that would eventually make him one of the most recognisable full-backs in football.
His time in Milan, though, lasted only a season.
Real Madrid moved to sign him, and the transfer proved to be one of the most important pieces of business in the club’s modern history.
Roberto Carlos would spend 11 seasons in the Spanish capital and establish himself as one of the defining players of his generation.
Across his Madrid career, he made 584 appearances in all competitions and scored 71 goals.
During his time, the Brazilian won four La Liga titles and was part of the team that reached three Champions League finals in 1998, 2000 and 2002. Madrid won all three.
The 2002 final against Bayer Leverkusen produced one of the defining moments of that era.
Roberto Carlos delivered the cross that Zinedine Zidane spectacularly converted for the winning goal, securing another European crown for Madrid.
Fabio Cannavaro: A Ballon d’Or winner in Madrid
Fabio Cannavaro’s connection with both clubs is perhaps less widely remembered, particularly because the Italian defender’s reputation is strongly associated with his homeland and Real Madrid.
Cannavaro developed through Napoli and Parma before earning a move to Inter Milan in 2002.
The Nerazzurri reportedly paid around €23 million for the centre-back, handing him a four-year contract.
His start at Inter was encouraging, but the relationship eventually became complicated.
Cannavaro left the club in 2004 and joined Juventus, where he spent two seasons before another major move changed the course of his career.
In 2006, Real Madrid signed him from Juventus for a reported €7 million.
That same year, he captained Italy to World Cup glory and produced a series of outstanding performances during the tournament.
His achievements were recognised on an individual level too, as he won the 2006 Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year award.
Cannavaro spent three seasons at Real Madrid and added domestic success to his already extraordinary year.
He won La Liga in both the 2006-07 and 2007-08 seasons, becoming an important defensive figure during Madrid’s successful campaigns.
His Inter career never reached the same heights, and Cannavaro himself has spoken critically about aspects of his experience there.
But his journey from Inter to Juventus and eventually Real Madrid produced one of the most decorated defensive careers of his generation.
Esteban Cambiasso: Madrid academy product turned Inter great
Esteban Cambiasso’s story is arguably the most interesting of the three because, unlike Roberto Carlos and Cannavaro, he began his connection with Real Madrid at youth level.
The Argentine midfielder joined Madrid’s academy at a young age alongside his brother Nicolas.
After returning to Argentina to gain regular first-team football with Independiente and River Plate, Cambiasso eventually returned to Madrid.
He became part of the first-team setup in 2002 and enjoyed a trophy-winning spell with the club.
Cambiasso won La Liga, the Intercontinental Cup, the UEFA Super Cup and the Spanish Super Cup during his time in Madrid.
Yet his stay in the Spanish capital ultimately came to an end when his contract expired in 2004 and the club decided against renewing it.
That decision opened the door to Inter, where he truly established himself as one of the finest midfielders of his generation.
He spent a decade with the Nerazzurri, becoming an important figure in one of the most successful periods in the club’s history.
Cambiasso won five league titles during his time at Inter and became particularly important in Jose Mourinho’s side.
In the 2009-10 season, Cambiaso’s Inter won the Champions League by defeating Bayern Munich in the final, completing a historic treble.
