For weeks the headlines have been filled with whispers, rumours, and late-night reports linking Real Madrid’s Rodrygo Goes with a sensational transfer to Manchester City. Pep Guardiola had placed him high on his wish list, Tottenham’s chase for Savinho was opening the door, and Fabrizio Romano himself confirmed that the Brazilian looked more likely to wear the blue of City than join Arsenal before the summer window slammed shut. The football world waited, City fans dreamed, and Madrid fans feared. But then, out of nowhere, Rodrygo himself gave the answer everyone had been waiting for – and it was not what City supporters wanted to hear.
The 24-year-old winger, who just a year ago was being spoken of as the new face of Madrid’s next golden generation, has endured a frustrating summer. The arrival of Xabi Alonso as Real Madrid manager changed everything for him. The new coach came in with bold ideas, reshaping the squad, reorganising the team, and in the process pushing Rodrygo further down the pecking order. At the FIFA Club World Cup, the Brazilian was barely used. Fans were shocked to see him reduced to a substitute role, and when La Liga began, Alonso gave him zero minutes in Madrid’s opening game. Suddenly, the young forward who once shined alongside Vinícius Júnior and Karim Benzema was fighting for scraps.
Manchester City saw opportunity in that situation. With Tottenham chasing after Savinho, Guardiola wanted an alternative lined up, and Rodrygo was top of his list. The Catalan coach has admired him for years – his direct dribbling, his ability to play across the front line, his calmness in big matches. Guardiola even picked up the phone this summer to speak directly with Rodrygo, testing the waters and showing his interest. City fans were already imagining him running down the wing at the Etihad, linking up with Erling Haaland, and giving the champions yet another weapon.
Romano reported that City were favourites, that Arsenal were behind in the race, and that Madrid could be persuaded if Rodrygo truly wanted out. All signs pointed towards the Premier League. But then came the hint – not through words in an interview, not through his agent whispering in private, but straight from Rodrygo’s own social media account.
On Thursday, after the Champions League group stage draw, Rodrygo posted a message to the world. He uploaded the graphic showing Real Madrid’s opponents and wrote just four words: “A por la 16!” – “Let’s go for the 16th.” In those words was everything. Madrid have 15 European Cups, more than anyone else in history, and Rodrygo was declaring his loyalty to the mission of chasing number 16. A few hours earlier he had posted training photos with the caption “we continue.” To Madridistas, it was reassurance. To City fans, it was heartbreak.
The meaning was clear: Rodrygo is staying in Madrid. At least for now. Despite his frustrations, despite Alonso’s choices, despite Guardiola’s phone call, the Brazilian has chosen loyalty to Los Blancos.
For City, this is a major blow. The transfer window is ticking towards its final hours, and Guardiola’s options are shrinking. He had planned for Rodrygo as a replacement if Savinho left, but now that plan has collapsed. For Madrid, it is a relief – a message that one of their young stars is not ready to abandon ship even if he is not guaranteed a starting spot. For Rodrygo himself, it is a gamble.
The winger knows Alonso does not see him as a guaranteed starter. Against Real Oviedo last weekend, Alonso gave him the chance from the beginning, but once again he was withdrawn in the second half. It was not the treatment of a star player, but Rodrygo seems prepared to fight. He believes things can change quickly in football. A good performance, an injury to another forward, a tactical tweak – all of these could bring him back into the centre of Madrid’s plans. He loves life in Spain, enjoys the culture, and above all, he knows the badge he wears carries unmatched prestige. Leaving Madrid now, in the middle of a Champions League chase, would feel like running away.
Still, the door is not closed forever. Guardiola’s admiration is not going to disappear. Even if the City move has collapsed this summer, next summer could be different. If Rodrygo spends the season stuck on the bench, if Alonso continues to see him as expendable, then 2026 could bring a new chapter. And City will still be waiting. Guardiola called him once; he will not hesitate to call again.
Interestingly, the plan may not involve Savinho at all. Reports suggest that if Rodrygo does eventually join City, it may be as a replacement for Jeremy Doku. The Belgian winger has struggled to adapt to the Premier League. His first two seasons were full of flashes of talent but not enough consistency, not enough end product. This season is critical for him. If he fails again, City may decide to cash in and look elsewhere. That elsewhere, of course, could easily be Rodrygo, who prefers to play on the left wing – the same position Doku is fighting for.
The numbers tell part of the story. Last season, Rodrygo played 54 games, scoring 14 goals and providing 11 assists in over 3,400 minutes. Doku, in contrast, played 41 games, scoring eight and assisting nine, but only managed 2,231 minutes. The difference is not just in statistics but in trust – Madrid used Rodrygo regularly, even if not as a superstar, while City have not fully trusted Doku yet. For Guardiola, Rodrygo offers more reliability, more pedigree, and more experience at the very highest level.
But for now, Madrid fans can celebrate. Their boy has chosen to stay. The Champions League chase is alive, and Rodrygo is part of it. His posts were not just random captions – they were declarations of loyalty at a time when rumours were threatening to destabilise the club. “We continue,” he wrote. “Let’s go for the 16th.” It is a statement of intent, a promise that he will fight, no matter the challenges.
City, meanwhile, are left to rethink. Guardiola must plan the rest of the season knowing that Rodrygo is not coming. He may look elsewhere in the final hours of the window, or he may wait until next summer. Either way, the story is not over. Transfer sagas never truly die, they only pause, and the bond between Guardiola and Rodrygo may yet bring them together in Manchester one day.
For Rodrygo, the challenge is simple but difficult: prove himself to Alonso. He must fight for minutes, take every chance, and remind Madrid why he was once seen as the golden boy. If he succeeds, his decision to stay will be remembered as loyalty rewarded. If he fails, then next summer may bring another wave of rumours, another City approach, and another decision to make.
For now, though, the future is clear. Rodrygo stays in Madrid. City look elsewhere. And the football world keeps watching, waiting, and speculating – because in modern football, today’s decision is never the end of the story.
