Meanwhile, Real Madrid claim to have an agreement with the midfielder personally. Barcelona are said to be interested, though at an earlier stage. Fabrice Hawkins of RMC Sport reports all three threads simultaneously.

Rodri is 30 and the reigning Ballon d'Or holder. City's preference all summer has been to keep him.

What the noise tells us

The most striking element of the story is Real Madrid's reported personal agreement with the player — a claim that, if true, would bypass the club entirely. PSG's choice to contact City directly adds a different dimension: they are testing the waters, not walking into them. Barcelona's interest remains the vaguest of the three.

Hawkins compressing all three conversations into the same report suggests this is a developing situation rather than a concrete one. No bid has arrived. City have not changed their stance.

For now, the club's position is clear: Rodri is not for sale. Whether that holds against the combined weight of Europe's wealthiest clubs is another matter. Pre-season has not even started. Buckle up.

Manchester City are one of several clubs prepared to meet RB Leipzig’s nine-figure asking price for Yan Diomande, the 19-year-old winger who lit up the Bundesliga last season. But according to reports from Germany, the Ivorian’s preferred destination remains Paris Saint-Germain, and his agents are pushing hard to make it happen.

It means City, Arsenal, Real Madrid and PSG are all willing to go to at least €100 million. The question is whether Diomande’s head can be turned.

What the numbers say

Diomande scored 12 goals and provided eight assists in 33 league appearances during his debut Bundesliga campaign. That made him the fourth-youngest player ever to reach double figures in a single season in Germany. Born in November 2006, he made his senior Ivory Coast debut in October 2025 and went on to represent his country at the World Cup in North America.

Liverpool tried to get there first. They submitted a €100 million offer during the tournament. Leipzig knocked it back outright.

City’s interest is real

The Blues have not been put off. Director of football Hugo Viana identified a winger of Diomande’s profile as a priority earlier this summer, and the club are ready to pay what it takes. Whether that means entering a straight bidding war with PSG, Real Madrid and Arsenal is another matter.

BILD speculates that Red Bull chief Oliver Mintzlaff and PSG president Nasser Al-Khelaïfi may have held informal talks in New York during the World Cup final. Nothing concrete, but enough to suggest the Parisians have a head start. Diomande’s representatives at Roc Nation are pushing PSG to accelerate negotiations.

City have already committed £116 million for Elliot Anderson this summer. Another nine-figure outlay would test even their resources — especially with the Rodri situation simmering in the background.

The chase is on. Whether it ends in Manchester remains to be seen.

City confirmed the extension on Tuesday, rewarding a defender who, since arriving from RC Lens in January 2025, has drawn comparisons to some of the finest centre-backs to have worn the shirt in recent memory. Khusanov became the first Uzbek to play in the Premier League and, across what proved to be a transitional season under Pep Guardiola, established himself as a key component of the backline.

Now comes the next step: convincing Enzo Maresca.

“I’m really happy to extend my stay at City. I have a new challenge now to impress Enzo Maresca and his staff and ensure I am in his team regularly. Thank you to the fans for all your support.”

Hugo Viana, the club's sporting director, said City have been encouraged by Khusanov's trajectory. His physical and technical abilities are top, he has all the assets needed to be a world-class centre-back, Viana said. At just 22, his best years are all in front of him.

The timing is deliberate. With Bernardo Silva and John Stones having left this summer, City are refreshing the spine. Khusanov joins Vitor Reis as young centre-backs committed to the Etihad project for the foreseeable future — a clear signal that the club sees its long-term defensive core in players who will grow into the role rather than inherit it ready-made.

Khusanov's Uzbekistan side exited the World Cup at the group stage, allowing him to return for pre-season earlier than some. He will get a chance to bed in under Maresca before the season starts on 23 August.

The Athletic’s David Ornstein and Mario Cortegana report that Real Madrid are aiming to sign the Ballon d’Or winner this summer and are confident of doing so. No direct talks have taken place between the clubs yet, but Madrid’s intent is clear.

The player’s wish

Rodri has never hidden his desire to return to Spain one day. That much has been obvious since the World Cup concluded, and Real Madrid are determined to make it happen this window. City, for their part, remain hopeful he will see out the final year of his contract, but the midfielder’s stance is no secret.

Here lies the problem. Rodri is City’s most important player. A fully fit Rodri turns a very good side into an elite side. Selling him would leave a sizable void in midfield and in the leadership group. Typically, City do not keep players who wish to leave — Bernardo Silva is the notable exception.

A decision looms

If Real Madrid can satisfy City’s demands, the Blues have a choice to make. Let him go and rebuild, or hold firm and risk an unhappy player in the final year of his deal. The coming weeks will determine which path they take.

James Trafford is in discussions with Leeds United about including a release clause in his contract, according to journalist Ben Jacobs. The clause would be triggered by “specific clubs/circumstances” – a detail that opens the door to a possible third spell at Manchester City.

Reports suggest the goalkeeper could leave that door open to returning to the Etihad. Whether City would be one of those specific clubs remains unclear, but the conversation itself hints at a path back for a player who has already left the club twice.

Trafford's career keeps circling back to Manchester. The next move, if it comes, would be his third time around.

The Norwegian supporters became a fixture of the 2026 World Cup in North America, their travelling pack drawing social media attention for performing the row in Times Square, at a New York Mets baseball game and various other spots. Norway, for their part, made personal history by reaching the quarter-finals for the first time.

Now the World Cup is over, but the row continues. Haaland, one of Donnarumma's Manchester City teammates, was invited to the wedding and has been filmed leading a group of guests through the routine. Several clips are doing the rounds on social media.

A week of off-field headlines

It has been a busy few days for the City striker beyond the dancefloor. Asked about a potential appearance in WWE, wrestler Cody Rhodes suggested a storyline in which the pair play cousins. Fans also praised Haaland after he greeted a stranger while on holiday in what was described as a ‘genuinely wonderful’ moment.

And the gym invitations keep coming. Real Madrid's Vinicius Jr and actor Terry Crews have both extended workout offers to Haaland this week.

An Honest Answer

We don't know. Not yet, anyway. The game has opened its doors, the player list is presumably live, but here at Not Really Here we don't have verified details on prices, positions, or availability. Recommending specific City assets without that information would be guesswork, and guesswork tends to end in tears by Gameweek 3.

What we do know: FPL is back. That is a fact. Millions are picking squads. Also a fact. Everything else — who's essential, who's a differential, who'll be this season's Haaland — remains unknown until we see the data.

The club has had a summer of change: Bernardo Silva and John Stones have left. The season hasn't started yet. Pre-season begins against Inter Milan on 1st August. The 2026/27 campaign proper kicks off on 23rd August. Plenty of time for friendlies, transfers, and the inevitable tinkering with your draft.

For now, the wisest move is to wait. Let the squad take shape. Let the prices drop. Then we'll tell you which City players to actually add to your team.

Manchester City are set to reject every approach Real Madrid make for Rodri this summer. The club's stance is absolute, and now we know a key reason why.

When Enzo Maresca negotiated his deal to succeed Pep Guardiola six months ago, he made one thing clear: Rodri stays. The Italian insisted on having the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner in his squad as a condition of taking the job, according to The Mirror.

That stipulation helps explain why chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak and other City officials are holding firm against Real Madrid's interest. Florentino Perez is reportedly preparing an initial £80m offer, potentially rising to £100m. City, for now, are not remotely tempted.

Rodri entered the final year of his contract off the back of a stunning World Cup – he led Spain to the 2026 title and took the Golden Ball. Back in March, he addressed the speculation head-on.

“Joining Los Blancos is not a 'closed door' for him,” he said at the time. “I would like to return to the Spanish league in the future.”

Real Madrid have reportedly received Rodri's approval and are closing in on personal terms, while City continue to try to extend his stay. The situation is complicated by a back injury that now requires surgery with no confirmed return date.

That medical setback might temporarily stall Madrid's pursuit. But the longer-term risk remains: if Rodri runs down his contract, his wish to play in Spain again could see him leave on a free next summer.

For now, Maresca plans to build his team around the 30-year-old, believing he is crucial to integrating club record signing Elliot Anderson, who arrived for £116m. Director of football Hugo Viana and the manager have been building the squad with Rodri as a key piece, with the new campaign just weeks away.

After two injury-hit campaigns, Rodri's World Cup displays brought back hope that City's talisman is back to his best. Maresca's non-negotiable demand is about to face its first real test.

Elliot Anderson has spoken for the first time since becoming Manchester City's club record signing, and the 23-year-old has made one thing clear: he does not consider himself the finished article. That, frankly, is a thought to sit with for a moment. A £116 million midfielder who thinks his best football is still ahead of him is either terrifying for the rest of the league or a reminder that City's recruitment model has not changed just because Pep Guardiola has left the building.

The deal, completed earlier this month, brings Anderson in from Nottingham Forest off the back of an impressive individual World Cup campaign with England. Director of football Hugo Viana said on signing that the midfielder could develop into a complete player at the Etihad, and the player's own words suggest he shares that ambition.

'Now that I'm here, I'll keep pushing and try to take this club forward. I'm only 23, I've got plenty of time to get to my best. I definitely think I'm not there yet and there's more to come.'

Anderson arrives as Enzo Maresca's priority midfield target and, more specifically, as the replacement for Bernardo Silva, who departed for Real Madrid on a free transfer this summer. It is a significant pair of shoes to fill, but the England international's description of his own game suggests he understands what is required at this level.

'I like to be intense when I play and use lots of energy around the pitch and get the fans going. I'm over the moon. I can't wait to play for this club.'

Arsenal's Declan Rice, who shared a midfield with Anderson during the World Cup, described him as 'the engine room' — a label that fits neatly with how the player himself frames his contribution. 'I think I bring a bit of everything,' Anderson said. 'I bring quality, physicality, energy. I'd like to think I'd get them excited, get them off their feet and bring energy to the team.'

That energy, he says, extends to his relationship with the ball. 'I like to think I'll take the ball at any time. I love having the ball at my feet. I'll help the team out when we're in tough times.'

Anderson's move has happened quickly — from Newcastle to Nottingham Forest to City, via a regular England place — but he insists it was always the destination. 'They're winners, relentless, and that's the sort of team I want to be a part of — champions, people who win trophies. Over the last 10, 12 years, they've dominated, so that's why I wanted to join.'

City's first pre-season game against Inter Milan is on 1st August. Anderson, by his own admission, is not there yet. The journey, however, has begun.

Manchester City are preparing a €90 million bid for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, with personal terms already agreed and a contract running until 2031 reportedly in place. The 18-year-old Morocco international has emerged as a priority target after an impressive season in Ligue 1 and a strong World Cup campaign, and Enzo Maresca is believed to see him as ready for the first team immediately — not another loan project.

The bid from City, first reported by Nicolò Schira, falls short of Lille's preferred valuation. That suggests negotiations still have some distance to run, with add-ons or an improved guaranteed fee likely required to get it over the line.

Hugo Viana's influence

The Guardian has reported that City are prepared to go as high as €100 million, with director of football Hugo Viana driving the pursuit. Viana is said to be impressed by Bouaddi's technical quality, his awareness on the ball and his physical readiness for English football — traits that explain why the plan is to integrate him directly into Maresca's squad rather than send him out on loan.

Bouaddi can receive under pressure, protect the defence and move possession forward without slowing the game down. That profile fits neatly into what City have lost with the departures of Bernardo Silva and John Stones this summer, though the club would argue Bouaddi offers something slightly different — younger legs, a different rhythm, a long-term solution rather than a short-term patch.

The reported fee, even at the upper end, is significant for an 18-year-old with one full senior season behind him. But the market for elite young midfielders is what it is, and City are moving early enough to avoid a bidding war later in the window.

Personal terms are reportedly in place, but an agreement with Lille has not yet been reached.

That line sums up where this stands: the easy part is done, the hard part starts now. Lille know what they have, and they will drive a hard bargain. City will need to decide how much they want this one.

The figure is a long way short of what the Blues would likely demand for a player who remains the reigning Ballon d'Or holder and World Cup Golden Ball winner. But with Rodri's contract at the Etihad entering its final year and no agreement yet reached despite months of talks, the situation is no longer straightforward.

Contract situation unresolved

City have been making lucrative offers to tie down the 30-year-old for some time. The club's hierarchy are well aware of his value — not just in monetary terms, but as the midfield anchor who has defined their most successful era. Yet a resolution over his long-term future has yet to materialise.

Rodri's desire to return to his homeland and his openness to a move to the Bernabeu are both becoming increasingly difficult to dismiss as background noise. Direct communication between the two clubs has already taken place earlier this summer, and a good working relationship is cited as a factor that could help facilitate discussions.

For director of football Hugo Viana, this represents one of the defining decisions of his tenure. Sell now and recoup a significant fee, or risk losing one of the world's best midfielders for nothing when his contract expires at the end of the 2026-27 season.

For Enzo Maresca, the prospect of beginning his debut season without Rodri at the base of his midfield presents a considerable challenge. The Spaniard's ability to control tempo, dictate press triggers and manage games from deep is regarded as irreplaceable within the system the Italian intends to implement.

City's confidence in landing Ayyoub Bouaddi for £85m after a breakthrough in Lille negotiations suggests they are already planning for life beyond Rodri. Whether that plan is accelerated this summer or delayed by another year depends on whether Madrid's low-ball approach is met with anything other than a firm no.

Manchester City finally unveiled Elliot Anderson yesterday, and the new arrival did not waste time in naming the player who shaped his football education. Kevin De Bruyne, the man whose 422 appearances in blue established him as a genuine Premier League great, was the name on Anderson's lips.

The England international came through Newcastle's academy watching the Belgian from afar. He admitted as much in his first public comments as a City player.

“I think Kevin De Bruyne is someone who I’ve hugely looked up to over the past seven or eight years. As I came up through the academy at Newcastle, I always wanted to play like him. I’ve watched him all the time and to be sat here in the same team he was doing it for is so special.”

There is something quietly fitting about that. De Bruyne arrived at City with his own point to prove, transformed himself into the division's defining midfielder, and now leaves behind a template that the next generation are already trying to follow.

Anderson is contracted until 2031. The club have clearly invested in his potential, and the early signs suggest he understands exactly what he is walking into. He joins the FA Cup and Carabao Cup holders at a moment of transition — Bernardo Silva and John Stones both departed this summer — and there will be opportunities for a midfielder who has modelled his game on the best.

The real work starts now. But for a player who spent his formative years studying De Bruyne's every touch, the setting could hardly feel more natural.

Reis, in an interview with ESPN Brasil, described the experience as formative. He faced Vinícius Jr, Lamine Yamal, Kylian Mbappé and Jude Bellingham across the season. “Facing great players like them requires maximum concentration,” he said. He appears to have handled it. By most accounts, he was one of Girona’s best performers in a campaign that finished with the club dropping into the Segunda División.

What he learned at City first time around

Before the loan, Reis spent six months around the City first team after arriving from Brazil. He spoke about the influence of Rúben Dias and Erling Haaland during that period. “City has a great squad and excellent players,” he said. “I learned a lot, especially from Rúben Dias, who encourages me a lot, and Haaland himself, who is one of the top strikers in world football.”

That education continued in Spain. Girona, under Michel, played a high defensive line. It suited Reis. The same system is central to Enzo Maresca’s approach at City.

The timing of his return is worth noting. City have not yet started their pre-season programme. The 2026-27 campaign begins on 23rd August. Reis has time to settle, time to show what he has absorbed.

He arrives back at a club that has seen John Stones and Bernardo Silva leave this summer. The pathway to first-team minutes is not as crowded as it might have been. That is no guarantee of anything, but it is not a bad position to be in.