Home \u00bb Sports \u00bb Mourinho dismisses regrets over Rodri\u2019s Barcelona move from Man City<\/p>\n
Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has addressed the club\u2019s unsuccessful attempt to sign Spanish midfielder Rodri, who officially joined rivals Barcelona on August 19, signing a contract until 2030. The 30-year-old Rodri, full name Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante, left Manchester City after six seasons to join the Catalan club.<\/p>\n
Mourinho revealed that Real Madrid had presented a substantial offer to Rodri, but the player\u2019s hesitation led to the deal falling through. \u201cI spoke to him a couple of times and Real Madrid made him a very good offer,\u201d Mourinho told El Chiringuito, as quoted by Goal.com. \u201cI think there is a very good relationship with City. Without negotiating with City, the club made contact with Rodri, they made him a major offer. Rodri had doubts, he hesitated and Rodri\u2019s doubts created doubts for me.\u201d<\/p>\n
The manager described Rodri as an \u201cextraordinary\u201d player who behaved respectfully towards the club, adding: \u201cNothing negative to say, but Real Madrid is of a dimension that cannot have players who second-guess themselves, you make contact and the player asks you: When do I have to go? That is somewhat the concept, but he was very respectful with us. I wish him well\u2026 not too well, obviously\u2026 but I wish him well.\u201d<\/p>\n
Despite missing out on the 2026 World Cup Golden Ball winner and 2024 Ballon d\u2019Or recipient, Mourinho stated that Real Madrid does not lack for players. \u201cI am not lacking Rodri,\u201d he said. \u201cWe are not lacking players. I am not saying there won\u2019t be any more signings because the market is open, but if you ask me directly if it is closed for me\u2026 yes. It is closed. I really like the squad.\u201d<\/p>\n
Rodri\u2019s transfer to Barcelona follows a challenging period marked by injuries. Last season, he was sidelined for most competitions after undergoing minor back surgery. In 2024, he spent more than seven months out due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury and also suffered from knee and hamstring problems.<\/p>\n
Since joining Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019, Rodri has been instrumental in the club\u2019s success, helping secure four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, and the 2023 UEFA Champions League. He scored the decisive goal in the 2023 Champions League final against Inter Milan, securing City\u2019s first European title and contributing to a European treble.<\/p>\n
Individually, Rodri was named Ballon d\u2019Or winner in 2024 after playing a pivotal role in Spain\u2019s Euro 2024 victory, where he was awarded Player of the Tournament. More recently, he was also part of Spain\u2019s 2026 World Cup-winning team and received the tournament\u2019s best player accolade, further enhancing his international standing.<\/p>\n
This story is written by TNM Bureau with inputs from ANI. The News Mill is a Guwahati-based digital media with focus on content from across Northeast India and beyond. We can be reached through [email\u00a0protected]<\/p>\n