Is Rodri leaving for big money? His weekly wage is only £220k, less than half of Haaland's, ranking tenth at Manchester City.

Manchester City's Ballon d'Or-winning midfielder Rodri will enter the final year of his contract after this season, with his deal running until 2027. If both parties cannot renew before the season ends, this summer window will be the best time for City to sell Rodri.

During the March international break, Rodri returned to Spain and was asked about rumors linking him to Real Madrid. He openly expressed admiration for Real Madrid, sparking significant controversy.

From a personal perspective, Rodri is a Spanish player, already 29 years old, and a native of Madrid. Returning to La Liga to join Real Madrid would be a natural career progression. If Rodri leaves this summer, it would be a win-win situation: Rodri could secure higher earnings at Real Madrid, while Manchester City could refresh its squad, having already identified three midfielders proven in the Premier League, including Tonali.

Why is Rodri's desire to leave for Real Madrid understandable? As a Ballon d'Or winner, his weekly wage at Manchester City is not high—specifically £220,000. This is decent in the Premier League but only average within City, ranking tenth in the team and less than half of Haaland's salary. Why is this the case? When Rodri won the Ballon d'Or, he suffered a serious injury, followed by a significant decline in form. Otherwise, City would have surely renewed his contract early with a top-tier salary. It's simply a matter of unfortunate circumstances.

Manchester City's top 10 weekly wages:

• First! Haaland: £525,000.
• Second! Bernardo Silva: £300,000.
• Third! Marmoush: £295,000.
• Joint fourth! Ruben Dias, Donnarumma, Stones, Guehi: £250,000.
• Eighth! Reijnders: £230,000.
• Ninth! Foden: £225,000.
• Tenth!Rodri: £220,000.