Rodri is closer than ever to Real Madrid. At least that is what Emilio Pérez de Rozas, a journalist at COPE, believes, who has made an assertion as forceful as it is intriguing: "you know what I think? That they've already signed him". A statement that sums up the frustration of the white fans who have spent weeks watching the Manchester City midfielder become the star transfer saga of the summer market, with the Bernabéu waiting for news that seems not to arrive.

The Rodri saga: from World Cup champion to bargaining chip

The MVP of the Qatar World Cup and recent world champion has become one of the major summer targets. His outstanding performance at the World Cup has put him in the sights of Europe's biggest clubs: PSG, Barcelona and Real Madrid are fighting over him. However, the most obvious option, the one pulling strings from Florentino Pérez's office, is that of the Spanish capital.

The player, who has a contract with Manchester City until 2027, has made clear that he has no intention of renewing with the Citizens. It is his exit door. And Real Madrid has spotted that opportunity with the speed of a hawk. According to sport.es, José Mourinho has already spoken with the player and the white board has resumed negotiations with renewed intensity after weeks of uncertainty.

The numbers of a signing that cannot fail

The figures Real Madrid is handling are around 45 million plus variables. The contract they are offering him would extend until 2030, which allows amortizing the cost of an operation the club considers fundamental. Because there are no whims here: there is real necessity.

The departures of Modric and Kroos have left a void in midfield that Madrid has failed to fill. Those were the two spinal columns of midfield, the ones who made the game flow. Rodri represents exactly that: an organizing midfielder capable of conducting the orchestra. That is why Pérez de Rozas, from COPE, cannot contain himself: "I would pay anything for Rodri". He does not even hide his concern. "Florentino Pérez has made a fool of himself over the last two years", he has said, reflecting the sentiment of a fanbase that smells the signing but still hasn't seen it confirmed.

The shadow of an injury arrives at the worst moment

Just when negotiations seemed to be closing without incident, Manchester City dropped a bomb: Rodri has undergone back surgery. The Citizens' statement was brief but revealing. The Spanish midfielder has been dragging discomfort for months, playing in pain, but has now undergone minor surgical intervention to solve the problem. He will begin a "brief rehabilitation period".

This physical setback arrives with his future more up in the air than ever. But it is not stopping anything. If anything, it adds more drama to a negotiation that already has the Bernabéu under tension. The coming week will be decisive.

Is it already done, or just wishful thinking?

Pérez de Rozas's assertion —"that they've already signed him"— is probably more hope than certainty, although as a leading journalist he would not make it without some conviction. What is undeniable is that Real Madrid has been pushing for weeks, that Rodri wants to leave, and that the figures are on the table. What is missing is the ink on paper.

Meanwhile, the white fanbase continues waiting for the confirmation that will end weeks of uncertainty. Will we have it this week?