ไทย
English
中國人
Pep Guardiola has revealed that Manchester City are eager to retain midfielder Rodri beyond this campaign, but would not block his path should he wish to join Real Madrid.
A long-standing target for Madrid, Rodri recently acknowledged he "could not turn down" an approach from Los Blancos if one materialized, before pushing back against critics who took issue with his candid remarks.
The uncertainty over Rodri's future grows as he enters the final year of his deal at the Etihad. Should he depart, this could represent City's last chance to recoup anything close to his peak market value.
Rodri continues to be a cornerstone of Guardiola's system, and the manager was pressed on whether he would uphold his longstanding policy of allowing any player who wishes to leave to do so — even someone as vital as Rodri.
"Absolutely," he affirmed. "The club's structure comes before any individual. If a player is unhappy, they must move on.
"Those who are content should stay, and I believe he is. If he's not, he just needs to knock on the sporting director's door, accept an offer that reflects his extraordinary quality, and from that point he no longer belongs to the club — only to himself."
Guardiola: We Want Rodri to Stay
Guardiola went on to say he would fully understand if Rodri opted to take his abilities to Madrid, but expressed confidence that the 2024 Ballon d'Or recipient would continue at the Etihad for the foreseeable future.
"I know what the club wants," he said. "They've made it clear to me — they want Rodri to stay, stay, stay. I think he will. I've always had a positive feeling about it, but ultimately I can't be certain."
He added: "There isn't a single player who would pass up the opportunity to play for Madrid. He was born in Spain. My wish has always been for Rodri to remain here as long as possible, because he is a truly exceptional player.
"He has shown over many years just how connected and devoted he is to this club. His contribution has been immense. And now, from the last one or two matches, I have the feeling he's truly back for a long, long time."
City are anticipated to pursue a contract extension with Rodri to put an end to the ongoing speculation about his future, with Guardiola eager to see the matter resolved positively as soon as possible.