Rodri says Real Madrid wanted him “at all costs”

Rodri has opened up about how he experienced Real Madrid’s push to sign him. According to the player, the LaLiga giants tried “strongly” to land him, and there were direct talks to try to make it happen.

The Madrid push

In comments reported by Cope, Rodri says Real Madrid “really did everything they could” to secure the deal. He also adds that José Mourinho shared his enthusiasm with him and tried to persuade him with his “football idea”, something that “attracted” him because he considers Mourinho a top coach.

Why he chose Barça

From there, Rodri explains that he made the call to join Barcelona instead of Real Madrid based on a sporting decision. “I decided to join Barça and not Madrid due to a sporting choice,” he said, adding that in his current situation he believes he can “grow in a better way.” He also notes that Real Madrid made his decision harder, although he says he is grateful for the interest.

For context, the key points of his story are the seriousness of Madrid’s approach and Mourinho’s role as a persuader. With these comments, the discussion around that reported pursuit gets more weight: Rodri confirms it wasn’t just talk—there were real conversations.