Rodri‘s future has become one of the biggest stories of the summer transfer window.
The Manchester City midfielder has entered the final year of his contract, while Real Madrid continue to push for his signature.
The Spanish giants have made Rodri their priority midfield target after his outstanding performances for Spain at the 2026 FIFA World Cup.
Jose Mourinho views him as the ideal player to control Real Madrid’s midfield, while reports have suggested personal terms are already in place.
Manchester City, however, remain determined to keep their star midfielder. Enzo Maresca wants to build his team around Rodri despite the uncertainty surrounding his contract.
The Premier League giants have also strengthened their midfield with the signing of Elliot Anderson while continuing their pursuit of Lille youngster Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Nevertheless, the club are preparing for every possible outcome should Rodri eventually leave the Etihad Stadium.
Now, according to CaughtOffside, Manchester City have identified Barcelona youngster Marc Bernal as their ideal long-term replacement if Rodri completes a move to Real Madrid.
The report states that Maresca has personally earmarked the 19-year-old because of his ability to dictate the tempo of matches.
Thus, he has drawn comparisons with Rodri. Moreover, Bernal is one of Europe’s most highly-rated young midfielders. However, completing a deal will not be straightforward.
Barcelona remain determined to keep the Spain youth international, who is under contract until 2029.
The report also claims his contract includes a €500 million release clause. So, it makes any move extremely difficult unless the Catalan club change their stance.
Chelsea and Arsenal are also monitoring Bernal’s development. Even so, Manchester City view him as the standout candidate to replace Rodri if the Spain international leaves this summer.
For now, Rodri remains City’s first-choice midfielder and Maresca still hopes to keep him.
Want to get the latest transfer news direct to your phone? Join our WhatsApp community by clicking here.
