Manchester City midfielder Rodri has undergone back surgery and will need a short period of rehabilitation, with no timeline set for his return, according to BBC Sport.

The club said their star midfielder had been "feeling discomfort for some time but has now undergone a procedure to address the issue." The operation took place in Madrid, where Rodri has previously received treatment during his recovery from a torn anterior cruciate ligament — the knee-ligament injury that ruled him out for almost all of City's 2024-25 campaign.

That ACL tear, suffered early last season, kept Rodri sidelined for months in what was a major blow to Pep Guardiola's side. Rodri is the player who anchors City's midfield, sitting deep to win the ball and start attacks; when he plays, City simply win more. His absence last term was felt across the team's results and rhythm.

Now 28, the Spain international faces another spell on the sidelines, though the club's language — "a short period of rehabilitation" — suggests this procedure is far less serious than the knee injury that cost him nearly an entire season. Even so, the timing is less than ideal. City face Arsenal in the Community Shield on 16 August, the traditional curtain-raiser between last season's league champions and FA Cup winners, before opening their Premier League campaign against Bournemouth on 7 August.

Whether Rodri is available for either match is unclear. No return date has been put on the record.

There is also the matter of his contract. Rodri has one year left on his current deal and has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid, per the BBC report. A player entering the final 12 months of his contract is always a talking point; when that player is among the best in the world in his position, the noise only grows louder.

For City fans, the concern is straightforward. Their most important midfielder has had two operations in under a year, and the calendar does not wait. The season's first trophy is less than three weeks away.