Rodri Hernández made one of the surprises of the last decade by taking home a well-deserved Ballon d'Or. At 28 years old, the Madrid native is living the 'sweetest' moment of his career, beyond the injury that keeps him off the pitch. The footballer is fundamental in Guardiola's Manchester City and in Luis de la Fuente's Spain, 'showcases' in which he has managed to establish himself as the best in the world.
Real Madrid, for its part, is watching its midfield crumble after the retirement of Toni Kroos. The merengue 'engine room' is not starting despite the presence of young 'cracks' such as Camavinga, Valverde, Bellingham or Tchouaméni, which is why the offices of the Santiago Bernabéu are beginning to think of Hernández as the solution to all their problems.
The footballer's contract ends in 2027 with City and already has an 'astronomical' renewal offer on the table. According to 'AS', the Mancunian team offers him an emolument that would put him at the top of the salary scale of the squad along with Phil Foden and Erling Haaland, the other two cornerstones of the future project at the Etihad.
The trial against City, the key to the operation
Despite this, the Spanish midfielder has 'frozen' any negotiation with the club, waiting to see what may happen when the resolution of the trial for the 115 accusations of possible irregularities in financial 'Fair Play' is known and the consequences that this may have on the institution. In addition, the sporting director, Txiki Begiristain, will not continue, and the future of Pep Guardiola is more up in the air than ever.
Madrid is aware of all these factors and would seek to benefit from them if the situation allows it. The Merengues know that it would be a 'weighty' operation, but with more and more sense. Rodri has a good relationship with some members of the dressing room, Ancelotti is an admirer of his game and the player would solve many problems for the team.
Furthermore, the Madrid fans no longer see him just as a reinforcement for the midfield, but also as an unbeatable marketing product, as he could be another Ballon d'Or winner playing at the Bernabéu. For this reason, the Whites are increasingly convinced that they must go for 'life or death' to sign Hernández.