Mourinho Shrugs Off Missing Rodri: 'I Don't Need Rodri' After Barcelona Land Their Man
José Mourinho has dismissed the significance of Real Madrid missing out on Rodri, declaring "I don't need Rodri" after the midfielder completed a €75m (£65.4m) move to Barcelona.
Speaking in an interview with El Chiringuito, the Spanish football talk show, aired late on Tuesday, Mourinho confirmed that Real Madrid contacted Rodri directly and made him what he called "a very good offer" — without first negotiating with Manchester City, who held the player's registration. But Rodri had doubts, and those doubts seeded doubts in Mourinho himself. "I don't need Rodri," he said, shrugging off the missed signing as he prepares for his second stint in the Madrid dugout. The Guardian
Rodri, 30, was presented as a Barcelona player following the completion of his transfer from Manchester City. The deal had been set in motion days earlier, when Barcelona reached an agreement in principle worth €76.5 million with City — a figure slightly higher than the final confirmed fee. The Athletic For Rodri, the choice was straightforward. He called Barcelona "always my first choice" and ruled out Paris Saint-Germain, the third club to table an offer after the World Cup, because he wanted to return to Spain. At Barcelona he joins eight of his Spain international teammates.
Mourinho's handling of the question carried his familiar mix of defiance and pragmatism. When asked whether Rodri's decision represented a victory for Barcelona — the fiercest rivals in Spanish football — he replied: "Victories are on the pitch, trophies." He also insisted his squad was "complete and closed" ahead of the new campaign. The Guardian
Yet Real Madrid did not sign an alternative midfielder despite pursuing Rodri and carrying what looks like a clear gap in the squad. The club has not won a major trophy in the past two seasons. Mourinho's confidence in his current options will be tested soon enough.
For fans, the subplot is almost as compelling as the transfer itself. Rodri is one of the most decorated midfielders in world football — a Ballon d'Or winner, Champions League winner, and the metronome (the player who sets the tempo) of Pep Guardiola's all-conquering Manchester City side. That Real Madrid chased him hard, spoke to him personally, and still lost him to Barcelona adds a layer of needle to the season ahead. Mourinho can say he does not need Rodri. The table, and the trophies, will have the final word.
