Rodri's City future: January exit 'at the very earliest' says Wyness, as Borson predicts summer departure

Conflicting voices on Rodri's Etihad exit

The two men shaping the public debate over Rodri's future at Manchester City are offering sharply different timelines for his departure.

Former Everton chief executive Keith Wyness, now running a football consultancy that advises elite clubs, insists the midfielder will not leave the Etihad before January at the very earliest. Speaking on Football Insider's Inside Track podcast, he suggested the saga will drag on beyond the summer window, which closes on 3 September.

"I don't think he's going to leave City until at least the winter at the very earliest, and I think he may well stay with City for the rest of the season," Wyness said.

His reasoning centres on Rodri's recovery from back surgery. "We've got to see his rehab and how he comes out of this back surgery. There are things that have got to be assessed in terms of that," he added.

Wyness, who served as CEO at Goodison Park between 2004 and 2009, believes City will hold firm and make life difficult for Real Madrid, who have been extensively linked with the 30-year-old. He does not think a deal can be done quickly enough for this summer.

City appear increasingly likely to lose Rodri when his contract expires in June 2027, with little hope of an extension being agreed.

That view sits in direct contrast to Stefan Borson, a former City financial advisor. Borson has told Football Insider he expects Rodri to leave before the start of the season, and believes the club are content to let him go for £64million (€75m) rather than hold out for more.

Borson is adamant Rodri is worth at least £85m even given his contract situation, but is in no doubt City won't get that in today's market. He feels the writing is on the wall and an exit could happen sooner rather than later.

Two men who know the club's finances well, then, are reading the same situation in opposite ways. One sees him gone before the season kicks off; the other thinks he will still be a City player come Christmas. Either way, the clock is ticking on a decision that could shape City's midfield for years.