Rodri extension: Mission must not fail
Man City are facing one of the most important tasks of the 2025/26 season: extending Rodri's contract.
It's not just about keeping a pillar, but protecting the heart that runs Man City's gameplay - the person whose absence makes Pep Guardiola's army incredibly fragile.
After a trophyless 2024/25 season, a rare occurrence in Pep Guardiola's career, Man City understands that any mistake in strategic personnel management like Rodri can be very costly.
Rodri's contract runs until June 2027. Real Madrid have made no secret of their desire to lure him to the Bernabeu, especially with Man City still facing 115 charges of financial misconduct from the Premier League.
So City's leadership decided to act decisively. A new contract until 2029 was prepared, with a salary of up to 300,000 pounds/week - the second highest in the team, only after Erling Haaland.
That is a figure that reflects Rodri's stature, but it is also the price that Man City must pay to avoid another shock like last season.
If there was ever a time when fans understood just how important Rodri was, it was the 2024/25 season – the time when he suffered his most serious injury since joining the club.
Without him, Man City failed to win any trophies for the first time since 2016/17.
They were knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid; lost to Liverpool in the Premier League race, only securing a top-three finish at the last minute; lost to Tottenham in the League Cup; were beaten by Crystal Palace in the FA Cup final.
A systematic chain of collapse whose cause lies at the core juncture: the central midfield position.
Rodri is not only a ball-winner, but also a player who opens the way for every attack, maintaining balance through his precise distribution.
He is the fulcrum for the centre-backs to push forward, to keep the midfield in rhythm and to provide the attacking midfielders with freedom to create. When Rodri is not playing, Man City lose control and balance.
Pep once said: “If I had two Rodris, I would rest one and play one every game. But I only have one, and without him, we play differently.”
Without Rodri, everyone goes backwards.
In fact, not only the tactical system was affected, but the performance of other stars also declined significantly.
Haaland, the Premier League's highest earner – £525,000 a week – has just endured his worst season since leaving Norway (see table).
Partly due to injury, but partly due to the lack of support from midfield in Rodri's absence.
The gaps and the cuts to change the state – which is Rodri's specialty – became rare.
Haaland scored fewer goals, had fewer clear-cut chances, and showed he was also dependent on the “smoothness” that Rodri brought to the whole system.
From a financial perspective, if Haaland is considered a priceless asset, then Rodri – with his game-changing role and ability to shield the defence – cannot be undervalued too much.
Rodri currently receives £220,000/week, not even in the top 5 highest paid players at Etihad - ranked 21st in the Premier League, behind Gabriel Jesus (£265,000), Mason Mount or Jadon Sancho (both £250,000)...
The offer of a £300,000-a-week increase is not a favour, but a proper recognition for the man who has carried City through many seasons – from the fateful volley in the 2023 Champions League final against Inter Milan, to a series of big matches where he has always controlled the game.
Rodri just turned 29 (June 22) – the most mature age in a central midfielder's career.
Thanks to his vision, ability to read the game and the experience he has accumulated under Guardiola, he is more than just a player; he is Pep's "tactical counterpart" on the pitch.
Keeping the EURO 2024 champions until 2029 is a decisive step, aiming to ensure long-term stability for a system that is inherently too complex to replace piece by piece.
More importantly, it was a statement that Man City don't just want to keep the trophy… but also keep the players who can bring it back to the Etihad.
Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/man-city-dau-real-madrid-vi-rodri-giu-trai-tim-bang-moi-gia-2429799.html
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