Man City tight-lipped on Rodri transfer amid Barcelona and Real Madrid link

play Live Sign upShow navigation menuNavigation menuNewsShow more news sectionsAfricaAsiaUS & CanadaLatin AmericaEuropeAsia PacificMiddle EastExplainedSportOpinionVideoMoreShow more sectionsFeaturesEconomyHuman RightsClimate CrisisInvestigationsInteractivesIn PicturesScience & TechnologyPodcastsTravelSponsored Contentplay Live Click here to searchsearchSign upSport|FootballMan City tight-lipped on Rodri transfer amid Barcelona and Real Madrid linkManchester City’s Enzo Maresca coy on the future of midfielder Rodri ahead of Community Shield showdown with Arsenal. xwhatsapp-strokecopylinkgoogleAdd Al Jazeera on GoogleinfoSpain's Rodri celebrates with the World Cup trophy and teammates on stage at Cibeles Square in Madrid after the July victory parade [Ana Beltran/Reuters]By ReutersPublished On 14 Aug 202614 Aug 2026Manchester City manager ‌Enzo Maresca has remained tight-lipped about Rodri’s future amid speculation linking their Spain midfielder ⁠with a move to ⁠Barcelona, saying “anything can happen” before the transfer window closes. The uncertainty comes the morning after an apparent picture of Rodri travelling on a budget Ryanair flight from Madrid to ⁠Liverpool went viral on social media, with the former Ballon d’Or winner spotted carrying a small suitcase bearing his name, national team flag and squad number. Despite the speculation about the Madrid flight, it is understood that record La Liga winners, Real Madrid, have cooled their interest based on the financial weight required for the transfer. “First of all, we already said the transfer ⁠window is open, we can buy and sell players, anything can happen,” Maresca told reporters on Friday ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield clash against Premier League champions Arsenal in Cardiff. “I’ve just seen Rodri now in the building, I gave him a big hug, he looks good, so we’ll see what happens.” Maresca confirmed the World Cup winner ‌is fit to return to training after undergoing back surgery at the end of July. Asked if he was aware of reports that Chelsea had set a Friday deadline for bids for the London club’s Argentina midfielder Enzo Fernandez and whether that meant City would be doing any transfer business in the next 24 hours, Maresca smiled and said City will not make any new signings on Friday. While talk of Rodri, a cornerstone of City’s success in recent seasons, potentially leaving ⁠the club has dominated the headlines, Maresca insisted his attention was on ⁠Sunday’s match rather than the transfer window. “For sure there are things we need to do. For now, how many, I don’t know. It can be one, it can be two (players),” he said. “Depends also if players are going to leave. It depends. “Now in ⁠this moment, 48 hours before a final, my first in this club, my focus is not about players leaving or arriving, it’s just how ⁠we can prepare the best way in the game and try ⁠to win the final.” The Italian dismissed any suggestion that the Community Shield, which sees the Premier League champions face the FA Cup winners, should be viewed as a glorified friendly, saying City were determined to start the season with silverware. “For me personally ‌it’s a trophy. And when the trophy is there, the final is there, you always try to win the game,” Maresca said. “So no friendly at all. It’s a trophy that we’re going to try ‌our ‌best to win, to win the first trophy.” Maresca is seeking his first silverware as manager of City after taking charge following the departure of Pep Guardiola at the end of last season. Advertisement AboutAboutShow moreAbout UsCode of EthicsTerms and ConditionsEU/EEA Regulatory NoticePrivacy PolicyCookie PolicyCookie PreferencesAccessibility StatementSitemapWork for usConnectConnectShow moreContact UsUser Accounts HelpAdvertise with usStay ConnectedNewslettersChannel FinderTV SchedulePodcastsSubmit a TipPaid Partner ContentOur ChannelsOur ChannelsShow moreAl Jazeera ArabicAl Jazeera EnglishAl Jazeera Investigative UnitAl Jazeera MubasherAl Jazeera DocumentaryAl Jazeera BalkansAJ+Our NetworkOur NetworkShow moreAl Jazeera Centre for StudiesAl Jazeera Media InstituteLearn ArabicAl Jazeera Centre for Public Liberties & Human RightsAl Jazeera ForumAl Jazeera Hotel PartnersFollow Al Jazeera English: