Rodri has been a cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s success at Manchester City in recent years, though last season proved an exception after a season-ending ACL injury. Ahead of the 2025-26 campaign, Guardiola confirmed the midfielder has suffered yet another setback, with fresh reports casting doubt over his long-term future at the club.
On September 22 against Arsenal, Rodri tore the ACL in his right knee, sidelining him for nearly the entire season before returning in the final Premier League matches in late May. However, in City’s match against Al Hilal in the Club World Cup, a game that ended in elimination, the Spaniard suffered another blow to his recovery.
Speaking to reporters before the friendly against Palermo, Guardiola detailed the situation: “Rodri is getting better but he had a big injury in the last game against Al Hilal. He has trained better in the last few days, hopefully after the international break is when he will be really fit,” he said.
The City boss stressed the importance of ensuring Rodri returns at full strength. “Hopefully in these games he can play some minutes but what is important is he doesn’t have pain because we don’t want this Rodri coming back injured. We try desperately to avoid that. He has been training the last two sessions with us and that’s good,” Guardiola added.
Under this timeline, Guardiola confirmed City will be without a fully fit Rodri until after the September international break, meaning he will miss the first three Premier League fixtures. As a key component of Guardiola’s system — and the current Ballon d’Or holder — his absence remains a major challenge for the defending champions.
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Rodri’s future at City up in the air
Still regarded as one of the best players in the world, City face the challenge this season of securing Rodri’s long-term future. His current deal runs until June 2027, meaning that without an extension, the club may eventually have to consider a sale to avoid losing him on a free transfer.
One of the main suitors for Rodri has been Real Madrid, who, according to The Athletic, were prepared to make a move if City had been found guilty of the 115 charges for Financial Fair Play breaches. While the Premier League side avoided any sanctions, Los Blancos’ interest has not faded.
According to Fabrizio Romano, City’s plan is to offer Rodri an extension through June 2029, by which time he would be 33. The proposed deal would make him one of the highest-paid players in Europe, earning the second-largest salary at the club behind only Erling Haaland.
