José Mourinho has revealed that Real Madrid submitted an offer for Rodri and that he personally discussed a possible move with the midfielder. However, he said the Spain World Cup winner’s hesitation left him uncertain about completing the signing.
Mourinho made the comments on the day Rodri was officially unveiled by Barcelona following his €75m (£65.4m) transfer from Manchester City. Although the player described Barcelona as “always my first choice”, Mourinho maintained that his absence would not be felt at the Santiago Bernabéu. Speaking to El Chiringuito, he said he had talked with Rodri several times and that Madrid had presented him with an attractive proposal.
Mourinho explained that Madrid contacted Rodri and offered him significant terms before entering negotiations with City. According to the manager, the midfielder was uncertain about the move, and that hesitation caused him to question the deal as well. He praised Rodri as an exceptional player who handled the situation professionally, but added that a club of Madrid’s stature expects potential signings to accept the opportunity without needing much time to decide.
Following the World Cup, Rodri received offers from Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid and Barcelona to leave City. The 30-year-old dismissed the possibility of joining the French club because he wanted to return to Spain and eventually selected Barcelona, where he will reunite with eight members of Spain’s World Cup squad. Asked whether the transfer represented a triumph for Barcelona over Madrid, Mourinho responded that genuine victories are measured by results and trophies on the pitch.
Madrid have yet to recruit another midfielder despite targeting Rodri and having an obvious weakness in that area after two consecutive seasons without a major trophy. Nevertheless, Mourinho believes no additional arrivals are essential. Beginning his second spell in charge of the club, the 63-year-old acknowledged that further deals remain possible while the transfer window is open, but said he already considers the squad complete and is highly satisfied with the players available to him.
Mourinho added that he does not regret missing out on Rodri because Madrid already possess enough options and quality. He also expressed confidence in his ability to develop the current squad, arguing that players can progress and become very different from how they are viewed today.
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