A summer of quiet at the Etihad, but the noise around Rodri won't go away

There is a theory floating around that the coming weeks will be calm on the Rodri front. Keith Wyness, the former Everton chief executive who now advises elite clubs through his consultancy, isn't so sure. Speaking exclusively to Football Insider, he has suggested that City might actually let the midfielder agree terms with a new club before the 2026-27 season is out — even if the move itself doesn't happen for a while.

Wyness, who spent five years in the Goodison Park hot seat between 2004 and 2009, believes the Blues still want Rodri for the campaign ahead. But the picture is complicated. The 30-year-old has just had back surgery, and that, in Wyness's view, is a genuine problem.

"Back surgery is never an easy thing; it's a very dangerous thing," he said. "There is one complication, he's just undergone back surgery as well, and that's another little complication that might just delay things, as they want to see how he comes out of that."

The recovery is expected to be short, but it still adds an unwelcome variable to an already tangled saga. Clubs circling — and there are a few, with Real Madrid heavily linked and Barcelona sniffing around — will want to see Rodri return to something like his best before committing serious money.

That hasn't stopped the speculation from building. Rodri was excellent for Spain this summer, winning the Golden Ball as they lifted the World Cup in North America. His stock, frankly, has rarely been higher. But the contract situation at the Etihad is the elephant in the room: his deal runs out in June 2027, which means next summer is the last real chance to cash in.

Wyness expects the two sides to play a patient game.

"City side are actually playing pretty hard in terms of negotiation," he said. "They may even agree the perimeter of a transaction, but he could stay at City for this next season. So I don't really see it happening that quickly this summer."

It's a view that chimes with what Stefan Borson, a former financial advisor to the club, has told the same outlet. Borson reckons City are "relaxed" about the whole affair. Enzo Maresca and company are happy to keep their man for another year, even if that means losing him on a free transfer down the line. If Real Madrid push things along, the club would apparently accept a so-called "mediocre fee" rather than dig in.

None of this is a surprise. Rodri has been central to City's recent success, and even last term, with injuries biting, he still managed 21 Premier League appearances. The hope is that the back problem proves a minor blip rather than the start of a trend.

For now, the likeliest outcome is that Rodri stays put this summer, the surgery heals, and the real drama gets parked until next year. The question is whether that counts as good news or just a delay.