El giro de guion de Rodri: de la gran oferta del Madrid a elegir al Barça

Rodri Hernández's football trajectory took an unexpected turn after being hailed as the world's champion and crowned the best player in New York. The Manchester City midfielder received a lucrative offer from Real Madrid but opted for Barcelona's interest, driven by a football-oriented choice, pending the agreement between the club and the Englishman for the transfer.

Before Real Madrid made their move, Rodri had clearly communicated his limit: he outright rejected the interest from PSG, declining to listen to the financial terms offered by the French club. His objective was to return to Spain, where no negotiation was possible. Real Madrid did not waste time. Just a few days after Spain's World Cup victory, the club had already contacted Rodri.

An offer was presented, which his entourage deemed irreducible and involved manager Mourinho in the negotiation. From the presidency to the general management, the entire organization worked on the operation as an absolute priority over two weeks of discussions. However, Rodri communicated his decision to the club yesterday, expressing gratitude for the treatment received.

The surprise lies in this choice, as it contradicts what was known about the player. When Real Madrid held presidential elections, Rodri had supported one of the candidates, indicating his desire to wear the white jersey someday. This antecedent has been the most puzzling aspect of the past week: something changed along the way, and it wasn't the money.

The times helped to understand it. During the World Cup, doubts were raised about Rodri's physical condition, whether he would return to the same form after his knee injury. Real Madrid waited for these doubts to be fully cleared, with Rodri also becoming a World Champion and MVP of the tournament, before fully committing. Barcelona had been probing him before this certainty.

Furthermore, there's the locker room aspect. Eight of his teammates from the champion team play for Barcelona, ranging from Cubasí to Lamine Yamal, including Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Ferran Torres, along with Eric and Joan García. This is not just camaraderie; it's a guarantee of immediate integration into a project led by Flick, a project Rodri is familiar with.

Real Madrid capitalized on what should have been a celebration day. The same Thursday saw the signing of Yan Diomande for 125 million plus 15 percent variable, the club's most expensive operation to date, and the announcement of Vinicius' renewal until 2032. Neither of these news items overshadowed Rodri's decision.