Jose Mourinho’s response to Rodri turning down Real Madrid has come out, along with a new transfer plan starting to take shape.
Jose Mourinho reportedly “couldn’t believe it” when he found out that Rodri wasn’t going to sign for Real Madrid, according to reports.
The Manchester City and Spain midfielder was expected to join Real Madrid for most of the summer transfer window. But on Thursday, Barcelona showed interest, and Rodri gave them the green light to join instead.
It’s been said that the 30-year-old personally contacted Real Madrid’s management to let them know his decision. Interestingly, Real weren’t too upset since they weren’t completely sure Rodri wanted to sign with them from the start.
Now, Barcelona needs to agree on a fee with Manchester City to sign Rodri, who has only one year left on his contract at the Etihad Stadium.
More details have come out about how Real Madrid’s key people reacted behind the scenes to Rodri’s choice. According to Spanish outlet SPORT, Mourinho had already expected Rodri to be Real’s final summer signing. He had insisted that the club sign both a defensive midfielder and a center-back.
Mourinho even told Eduardo Camavinga that he might leave to make room for the new midfielder. Real players themselves thought Rodri would join, so they were surprised when he changed his mind.
The report says Mourinho will now have to work with the defensive trio of Aurelien Tchouameni, Camavinga, and Federico Valverde, and try to use Arda Guler and Bernardo Silva as a double pivot since Real don’t plan to sign another midfielder. This isn’t new — it’s the third year in a row with this situation, and the last two times it didn’t work out well.
It’s also said that Mourinho showed “immense anger” in several talks with Real Madrid’s executives when he was told they wouldn’t sign a new midfielder. Spanish outlet MARCA adds that Real won’t make any more midfield signings this summer and plan to keep all their current midfielders.
That means Camavinga, who has been linked with leaving for the past three summers, will likely stay unless Real get an incredible offer.
Rodri’s choice also hurts Manchester United’s hopes. They wanted to sign Aurelien Tchouameni from Real if they could bring in a replacement midfielder. Now, Michael Carrick’s team will need to look elsewhere to strengthen their midfield before their Champions League season starts.