In a summer in which Real Madrid have spent €240 million on six new signings, one of the players they missed out on could end up defining their season. After The Athletic reported that Madrid were working on a deal to sign Rodri from Manchester City last month, it became clear the 30-year-old prefers a move to their fierce rivals Barcelona.

Madrid have not yet secured a deal for the World Cup-winning Spain captain, and Rodri will not be moving to the Bernabéu anytime soon. For Madrid, it is a blow in a position which has caused them a headache since Toni Kroos' retirement in 2024.

A Recurring Problem

On the face of it, Real Madrid have seven midfielders vying for three positions in the 4-2-3-1 formation that returning manager José Mourinho will be using. The board have pointed to the variety of profiles on offer, from the box-crashing Jude Bellingham to the versatile new signing Bernardo Silva.

But going back to the exits of Kroos two years ago and Luka Modrić in 2025, it is clear Madrid have lacked a midfielder who can consistently dictate the tempo of matches. During those past two seasons, Madrid have failed to win any major title, and an increasing number of voices within the club have highlighted the need to sign a player capable of dominating the centre of the park. Notable figures to call for reinforcements include two of the previous three coaches before Mourinho — Carlo Ancelotti and Xabi Alonso — both of whom highlighted the need to strengthen midfield.

From the very first meetings to plan the season with the club's sporting direction, the Portuguese manager made clear he wanted a "creative" midfielder. The club fulfilled that request, just not exactly how he wanted.

Bernardo Silva: The Compromise Signing

In June, Madrid announced the signing of Bernardo Silva until 2028, with the Portugal international joining on a free transfer after not renewing his deal with Manchester City. He is a midfielder but often plays further forward or even on the wing — and is certainly not a No. 6 in the Rodri mould.

Bernardo had previously been offered to Real by his agent, Jorge Mendes — who also represents Mourinho — but Madrid had ruled him out. That suggests the club did not see the 32-year-old as the solution to their recurring problems in midfield. Mourinho personally requested his arrival but continued to ask for another midfielder after he signed.

The Rodri Blow

After Rodri's starring performances at the World Cup, where he won the award for best player at the tournament, the fanbase insisted the board should try to sign him. When Madrid entered the race, hopes soared. There was widespread expectation that the deal could be finalised and a unanimous view that Rodri was the missing piece for this new project — until Barcelona scuppered it all.

Many at Madrid's Valdebebas training ground were closely following the saga and were delighted at the prospect of Rodri's arrival because of the influence he was expected to have on the dressing room and on the pitch. The same was true of several senior players. Mourinho, however, did not see Rodri as a priority, preferring a different type of midfielder with greater mobility and a wider range of possible roles.

What Now for Madrid's Midfield?

The club's official stance is that there will be no signings in that position unless players leave, arguing that the 25-man squad is complete with at least two players in each position. However, that was the message in July — until The Athletic revealed the club were working on signing Yan Diomandé from RB Leipzig in a deal worth up to €140 million.

Some behind the scenes have also pointed to the fact that nobody in the current squad wants to leave, complicating any potential departures that would free up space for a new arrival.

Who Should They Target?

The Athletic's player roles analysis, which uses nearly 40 metrics to analyse players across Europe's top five leagues, classifies Rodri as the 'Tempo Controller' that Madrid so desperately need. According to the model:

• Alexander Pavlović (Bayern Munich) — the most similar in style to Rodri, blending assured passing with athleticism and physicality, but difficult to prise away from the German champions at 22.
• Nico González (Manchester City) — combines long-strided recovery running with considered work on the ball, though his La Masia roots at Barcelona may complicate any move to Madrid.
• Aleix García (Bayer Leverkusen) — a La Liga standout during Girona's unlikely title charge in 2023-24, bringing expansive distribution that Madrid have missed since Kroos' departure.
• Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart) — long touted as the next great tempo-setter at the base of midfield.
• Exequiel Palacios (Bayer Leverkusen) — combines combative defensive work with the ability to fizz the ball through the lines.

Whether Madrid act on any of these options before the window closes remains to be seen. But the feeling persists that without a true tempo-controlling midfielder, the team that has failed to win any major title in two seasons may continue to struggle against opponents who can control the flow of matches.