Jacobs: City’s Rodri valuation “significantly more” than reported €50M as gap with Real Madrid emergesAccording to Ben Jacobs, Manchester City’s current preference is to hold onto Rodri even if he does not sign a new contract, with the club unwilling to sanction a sale on terms they consider inadequate regardless of the time remaining on his deal. The arrival of Bouaddi or another midfielder would, however, change that calculation – providing City with the cover in the position that would make a Rodri sale manageable rather than damaging to Enzo Maresca’s squad depth ahead of the 2026-27 campaign. What does Jacobs’s update mean for Man City and the Rodri situation? The Bouaddi variable is the most actionable element of the story from director of football Hugo Viana‘s perspective. Concluding the Lille deal – at a fee of around £85 million, per previous reports – would resolve the midfield depth concern that makes a Rodri sale untenable in the current squad configuration, and would give City the freedom to negotiate from a position of genuine strength rather than necessity.