What happened?

Manchester United's chances of winning the title are heavily reliant on retaining Rodri, but the club's stance on the midfielder's future remains uncertain amidst Real Madrid's interest.

Why it matters for Manchester United

What comes next?

Manchester United's League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 3rd in Premier League, 71 pts, 20W-11D-7L from 38 games, recent form WWDWW. The club has invested £116m on Elliot Anderson this summer, an England first-choice midfielder who may be joined by another midfielder in Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old who also impressed at the World Cup for Morocco, and would cost around £85m. However, neither of them or Tijjani Reijnders, Mateo Kovacic nor Nico González can claim to be in the class of Rodri, who may well be in line to claim a second Ballon d’Or following his World Cup exploits.

In the two seasons before the World Cup, injury plagued Rodri, however. The result: no Premier League titles in either year for City, halting a record four-in-a-row run for Guardiola’s garlanded team. Rodri’s ability to mould and control contests was reiterated by his World Cup displays. Exhibit A: the chokehold imposed on France in the semi-finals. At domestic and international level, this is a priceless quality. So if Maresca can field Rodri, City will be feared in the league and on the continent.

The back injury for which Rodri underwent surgery on Monday is minor, but the desire to broaden his club horizons – primarily in Spain – remains, meaning there is no certainty he will stay put. Particularly so given the initial resistance of Real Madrid’s president, Florentino Pérez, to acquiring Rodri has shifted, due, surely, to his resurgence at the World Cup and maybe José Mourinho, returning as head coach, expressing a need for the player’s calm and elan.

League standing (final 2025 table -- new season not yet under way): 3rd in Premier League, 71 pts, 20W-11D-7L from 38 games, recent form WWDWW. City have 14 points behind leaders Arsenal.

Next fixture: vs Nottingham Forest (away, 2027-02-20) (16th in the table).