Mourinho Reveals Why Real Madrid Missed Out on Rodri

August 19, 2026 | 08:45 pm

TEMPO.CO, Jakarta – Real Madrid were once considered favorites to sign Spanish midfielder Rodri from Manchester City, but the move ultimately fell through after the player chose Barcelona instead.

Rodri had reportedly emerged as one of Madrid's main targets after the club reappointed Jose Mourinho as head coach. However, Barcelona announced on Tuesday that it had reached a permanent agreement with Manchester City to sign the midfielder on a contract running until June 30, 2030.

Mourinho has now revealed that he personally spoke with Rodri several times about a potential move to the Santiago Bernabeu.

“I spoke with [Rodri] a couple of times,” Mourinho said, as quoted by ESPN.

According to Mourinho, Madrid had made Rodri an attractive offer, while negotiations between the Spanish club and Manchester City were also progressing smoothly.

The stumbling block, he said, was Rodri's uncertainty over the move.

“Rodri had doubts, he doubted, and I think what happened is that the doubts Rodri had, gave me doubts.” Mourinho said.

For Mourinho, that hesitation became a decisive factor. He argued that a club of Madrid's stature should not pursue a player who is uncertain about joining.

“He's an extraordinary player. But I think Real Madrid are so big that we can't have players who think twice. That's the concept. But he behaved properly with us, and I wish him well,” Mourinho said.

Rodri eventually opted for Barcelona, which reportedly paid around €60 million ($70 million) to Manchester City for the midfielder. The deal could rise by a further €15 million through performance-related add-ons.

Rodri Chooses Barcelona

Rodri's decision to join Barcelona represents a significant blow to Madrid, which had been expected to bring the midfielder back to the Spanish capital after six influential years at Manchester City.

Rodri joined City from Atletico Madrid in the summer of 2019. Under Pep Guardiola, he developed into one of the world's leading defensive midfielders and became a central figure in City's playing style.

He helped the club win several major trophies, including Premier League titles, the FA Cup and the Champions League.

At international level, Rodri played a key role in Spain's Euro 2024 triumph and its 2026 World Cup victory. He also won the Ballon d'Or in 2024.

His experience and reputation made him a strong fit for Madrid's midfield needs. However, Mourinho's account suggests that the player's uncertainty ultimately played a role in the club abandoning the pursuit.

Mourinho Says Madrid Squad Is Complete

Despite missing out on Rodri, Mourinho said he was not particularly concerned about the strength of his Madrid squad.

The club has signed six players during the summer transfer window: Marc Cucurella, Yan Diomande, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries and Carlos Espi.

Asked whether Madrid still needed to sign more players before the transfer window closes, Mourinho gave a clear response.

“No. I won't say there won't be more [signings], the market is open, but if you ask me if the squad is closed, yes. I like the squad,” he said.

Mourinho also said Madrid's problems could not simply be attributed to a lack of players.

The Portuguese coach said he had found a squad determined to return to winning ways after ending last season without a major trophy.

“But winning or losing is multi-factor. I don't accept that the blame is just for a few [people]. A lot of people failed last year,” Mourinho said.

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