The battle between Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain did not end with the Diomande deal, but opened a new chapter of conflict between the two clubs. After the Royal Club snatched the Ivorian player at the last moments, Paris Saint-Germain president Nasser Al-Khelaifi decided to respond quickly by attempting to deliver a painful blow to the Merengues, placing Manchester City star Rodri at the top of his priorities.
Nasser Al-Khelaifi realized last Thursday that signing Diomande had become impossible, after Real Madrid succeeded in turning the deal around in a short time, according to the Spanish newspaper "AS".
A phone call followed by a decisive meeting was enough to change the player's destination, shifting his interest entirely to the Royal Club, after Paris Saint-Germain had believed it was closest to concluding the deal.
As soon as the Ivorian international learned of Real Madrid's interest, his interest in moving to Paris waned, and he revived his old dream of wearing the white jersey and playing alongside Kylian Mbappé and his teammates, a dream he had previously expressed during his time playing with Leganés.
Al-Khelaifi orders a move toward Rodri
These developments prompted the Paris Saint-Germain president to act quickly, issuing direct orders to contact Rodri's agent in an attempt to respond to Real Madrid after losing the Diomande deal.
The move was not merely a media maneuver or an attempt to pressure the various parties, but came based on a clear desire from Al-Khelaifi, who refused to lose the Diomande deal without delivering a similar response to the Spanish club.
Al-Khelaifi also did not overlook the media reports about Rodri's desire to play in a Real Madrid jersey, in addition to the great praise the player received after winning the award for best player in the World Cup, which made him see the Spanish national team captain as a perfect opportunity to respond to the Royal Club.
Rodri's position has not changed
Despite Paris Saint-Germain entering the negotiations, Rodri still places a return to the Spanish league at the top of his priorities.
The midfielder is currently spending his summer vacation, waiting for his future to become clear, amid ongoing uncertainty about his situation, especially with only one year remaining on his contract with Manchester City.
At the same time, Rodri continues to affirm in his statements his great respect for the English club, while City's new coach, Enzo Maresca, expressed his insistence on keeping the player, considering him one of the key pillars of his technical project.
City is holding firm... and Real Madrid is watching
For its part, Manchester City has not changed its stance on Rodri's future, as the club confirmed it has not received any official offer to sign the midfielder and still considers him an indispensable element in the team for the coming period.
As for Real Madrid, it continues to monitor developments in the file from afar, without any change in its plans so far, as the team's list remains open until the transfer window closes.
The data indicates that signing Rodri could become an option if Real Madrid's midfield sees any departures in the coming weeks, but this scenario has not materialized yet and remains merely a possibility, without turning into a confirmed step.