Rodri: Decision on Future After World Cup

Rodri said on June 1 that any decision on his Manchester City future will wait until after the World Cup, using Spain’s media day in Las Rozas to shut down questions about a possible move to Real Madrid. The 29-year-old midfielder spoke at the national team’s pre-tournament camp outside Madrid as speculation around his club future intensified. Rodri’s current City contract runs to 2027, and his comments came with Spain preparing for a World Cup that starts on June 11 in the United States, Mexico and Canada. He did not say whether he plans to stay or leave. ### What exactly did Rodri say in Las Rozas? Rodri told reporters on Monday that the tournament comes first. “Anything related to my future will wait until after the World Cup,” he said at Spain’s camp in Las Rozas de Madrid. He also said he was trying not to give too much importance to the rumors and called that part of the job. The Spain midfielder added that contract noise is common when a player is moving toward the final stage of a deal. Rodri said he was calm and knew where he stood, while making clear that this was not the moment to discuss a club decision. ### Why are Real Madrid being mentioned now? Real Madrid entered the conversation because Rodri has been linked with the Spanish club in recent reports and because presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme publicly named him as a target ahead of this weekend’s election contest with incumbent Florentino Pérez. Rodri did not engage directly with that political backdrop, but he acknowledged the “noise” around his name. MARCA reported from the same media appearance that Rodri said, “I understand the noise, but I’m not going to spend my time on that. We’ll see after the World Cup.” ESPN also reported him saying, “We’re here to talk about the World Cup,” before repeating that he would wait until the tournament was over to address his future. ### What is his contract situation at Manchester City? Rodri is under contract at Manchester City until 2027. That timetable has become central to the discussion because players with one year left on a deal often become transfer subjects in the summer window. Sky Sports reported in March that Rodri had said, “I have a year left on my contract. There will come a point when we’ll have to sit down and talk.” In the same interview, he said he would like to return to LaLiga at some stage and added that “you can’t turn down the best clubs in the world” when asked about Real Madrid. ### How much of this is shaped by his recent season? Rodri’s 2025-26 season followed a long recovery from the cruciate ligament tear he suffered in September 2024. AFP reported that he has struggled with injuries since that setback, even as he worked his way back into City’s side. At Spain’s camp, Rodri said he arrived fresher than usual because he had played fewer matches. He said he had less rhythm than in 2024, but fewer games in his legs, framing that as part of his preparation for the tournament rather than as a sign of any immediate club move. ### Why postpone the issue until after the World Cup? The World Cup is the stated reason. Rodri said his responsibility was to stay focused on the tournament, and he described himself as a leader within Luis de la Fuente’s Spain squad. Spain’s camp in Las Rozas is now the setting for that priority. The next concrete milestone is June 11, when the World Cup begins, and any further public comment from Rodri on Manchester City or Real Madrid is likely to be measured against Spain’s progress in the tournament.