Real Madrid drop Rodri from midfield shortlist but still eye Adam Wharton

Real Madrid have cooled their pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Rodri and removed him from their immediate midfield shortlist on the eve of the clubs' Champions League meeting. The 29-year-old, the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, will visit the Bernabeu as an opponent, and his contract at the Etihad runs until June 2027 as City press for an extension.

The club has shifted its focus to younger midfield prospects who fit a recent recruitment strategy. Crystal Palace’s Adam Wharton has emerged as a serious target, alongside AZ Alkmaar’s Kees Smit and PSG’s Vitinha, representing a different investment profile as Madrid look to rebalance after the Toni Kroos and Luka Modric era.

Rodri’s camp has been cautious in public. His father, Antonio Hernandez, said: "He is very comfortable where he is. You will understand the natural reserve in these circumstances. I don't know anything and I'm saying it truthfully. I don't know anything, history has to be written.

Spain, Madrid

real madrid, rodri, adam wharton, manchester city, champions league, bernabeu, ballon d'or, contract extension, kees smit, vitinha