If Rodri Is the Best Midfielder in the World, Why Won't Florentino Pérez Sign Him?

Rodri is the best midfielder in the world. He has won the Ballon d'Or, the World Cup, and the World Cup Golden Ball. His quality is not in doubt and he already ranks among the greatest midfielders. This guy is literally begging to join Real Madrid. Everyone is pushing for his signing, from José Mourinho to the management, the players, and the fans. Now the question is: if Rodri is that good, why doesn't Florentino Pérez just sign him?

Let's try to figure out the reasons.

Politics

Florentino Pérez's rival in the presidential election was Enrique Riquelme. He made Rodri his biggest campaign promise. He publicly said that if he became Real Madrid president, he would bring Rodri to the club.

Because of that, the Rodri deal became more than just a football transfer. Politics also became part of the story. Whether people agree or not, this is believed to be one of the reasons why Pérez has never shown strong interest in signing him.

His Age and Transfer Fee

Rodri is almost 30 years old, and that's an important factor for Real Madrid.

In recent years, the club has focused on signing younger players like Valverde, Bellingham, Tchouaméni, Camavinga, and Arda Güler. These players can stay at the club for many years and still have resale value in the future.

Rodri, on the other hand, would likely cost more than €60 million, and Manchester City have no reason to sell him cheaply. Spending that much money on a player who is already entering his 30s is not the type of deal Florentino Pérez usually likes to make.

Injury Concerns

Rodri has already suffered a serious ACL injury, one of the hardest injuries for any footballer to recover from.

On top of that, reports say he is expected to undergo another surgery after the World Cup. Even if he returns, no one can guarantee that he will be the same player immediately.

When a club is about to spend over €60 million on a player, it has to think carefully. Real Madrid cannot afford to take such a big risk on a player who may struggle with injuries again.

The Ballon d'Or Controversy

The Ballon d'Or ceremony also created tension between Rodri and many Real Madrid fans.

After Vinícius Jr. missed out on the award, Rodri was involved in celebrations and comments that many Madridistas felt were disrespectful toward Vini. Whether it was intentional or not, it left a bad impression.

This is probably not the biggest reason behind Pérez's decision, but it is another small factor that doesn't help Rodri's chances of joining the club.

Florentino Pérez doesn't make decisions based only on trophies or individual awards. He looks at the player's age, transfer fee, injury history, political situation, and whether the signing fits Real Madrid's long-term plan.

I still hope Pérez decides to sign him because Rodri would make our team better, stronger, and more complete than any other team in Europe. If the opportunity is there, he could be the final piece that takes Real Madrid to an even higher level.