Rodri Turns His Back on Real and Chooses Barcelona
After the Spanish midfielder gave preference to the Catalan giants, Real Madrid quickly found an alternative in Manuel Locatelli, but will they manage to snatch the captain from Torino?
After the Spanish midfielder gave preference to the Catalan giants, Real Madrid quickly found an alternative in Manuel Locatelli, but will they manage to snatch the captain from Torino?
Real Madrid continues its search for a midfield reinforcement, and after an unexpected twist in the Rodri saga, Juventus captain Manuel Locatelli has topped their wish list. The Spanish international, long considered the Royal Club's primary target, ultimately decided to prioritize a move to Barcelona, forcing Real's hierarchy to look elsewhere.
For a long time, it seemed that the Manchester City midfielder's arrival in Madrid was a done deal. According to Tportal, Barcelona unexpectedly entered the negotiations and managed to convince Rodri to change his mind, despite an alleged agreement with Real. Manchester City has already rejected Barcelona's initial offer of €45 million and is demanding significantly more, so the transfer to Camp Nou is not yet finalized. Nevertheless, it is clear that Rodri no longer sees the Santiago Bernabeu as his first option.
Coach José Mourinho insists on an additional reinforcement that will bring calmness and control to the midfield, and Manuel Locatelli has emerged as the ideal solution. The Italian international, who wore Juventus's captain's armband last season, is valued in Madrid for his composure on the ball, defensive discipline, and ability to dictate the tempo of the game from deep. These are qualities Real has been seeking since the departures of Luka Modrić and Toni Kroos, whose influence on the organization of play has proven difficult to replace.
The biggest obstacle to Real's plans lies in the fact that Juventus officially announced on April 17, 2026, that they had extended Locatelli's contract until June 30, 2030. At the time of signing, the 28-year-old midfielder had 224 appearances, nine goals, and 17 assists for the Turin club. More importantly, he is not just a regular starter but also the captain and one of the symbols of the current squad.
"When you ask a child who supports Juventus what their dream is, they'll tell you they want to play in this jersey and be captain. For me, this is another dream come true," Locatelli said upon extending his contract, adding: "I have never thought about leaving this club. I have never seen myself far from Juventus."
According to the latest information posted on Twitter by journalist Ekrem Konur and relayed by Sportske novosti, Real Madrid has already identified Locatelli as a target. It is even claimed that the club has made contact with the player. On the other hand, reports from Italy, cited by Tportal, suggest that interest exists but that there are no official negotiations between the clubs as of yet.
A similar discrepancy surrounds the player's own stance. While some sources claim that his agent has made it clear that Locatelli would gladly embrace the opportunity to transfer to the Santiago Bernabeu, considering that such a chance does not come often, others are more cautious and state that the player would not automatically dismiss the possibility of leaving, but without any public confirmation of such an attitude.
Estimates of Locatelli's value range from €25 to €30 million, but given his freshly signed four-year contract, captaincy status, and importance to the team, it is unlikely that Juventus will let him go without a significantly more serious offer. Real is expected to initiate official negotiations soon, but as Sportske novosti notes, the Turin club is not willing to part with their captain easily ahead of the new season. Nevertheless, president Florentino Pérez has proven many times that money and the right approach can open almost any door.
