Pep Guardiola is set to step down as Manchester City manager at the conclusion of the 2025/26 season, according to The Guardian, a decision that has already initiated a significant reshuffle of the first-team squad. Midfielder Rodri, 29, has reportedly paused negotiations over a proposed contract extension until 2029 worth €350,000-a-week as he considers a move to Real Madrid. While Enzo Maresca has agreed in principle to a three-year deal to succeed Guardiola, the club is already preparing for the confirmed departures of John Stones and Bernardo Silva this summer.
Real Madrid interest and Rodri's contract status
According to reports in Spain from Marca, Rodri is eager to facilitate a move to Real Madrid in the summer of 2026, viewing the impending managerial change as a natural transition point. Manchester City have attempted to intercept this interest by offering the Spanish international a landmark deal that would keep him at the Etihad until 2029. Despite the lucrative terms, Rodri has delayed signing, stating to AS that he remains "focused on my club and winning as many trophies as possible" before the current campaign concludes. This hesitation arrives despite City's aggressive recruitment drive to bolster the spine of the team, which included the late August 2025 signing of Gianluigi Donnarumma from PSG for approximately €30m.
Squad transition and the Maresca appointment
The appointment of Maresca, as first reported by Fabrizio Romano, is designed to provide tactical continuity following a period where Manchester City have failed to win the Premier League title for two consecutive seasons. The squad is already undergoing a structural shift; the departures of senior figureheads Stones and Silva follow the January 2025 renewal of Erling Haaland, who is now tied to the club until 2034. By removing previous release clauses in Haaland's contract, City have secured their most valuable asset, yet the core of the 2023 Treble-winning side continues to dissipate. The integration of younger profiles like Nico González and Elliot Anderson suggests the club is moving away from the veteran-heavy lineup that defined the latter half of Guardiola's decade-long tenure.
Manchester City will now pivot to finalising Maresca's backroom staff while awaiting a definitive response from Rodri regarding the club's final contract offer.