Man City want to make Rodri highest-paid player… but could be forced to ask team-mate to take LOWER basic wage to help

MANCHESTER CITY are ready to make Rodri the club’s highest-paid player to ward off Real Madrid.

Pep Guardiola’s  champions want to double the Spain midfielder’s wages to £375,000 a week to extend his Etihad stay.

And City could finance the deal by asking Kevin De Bruyne to restructure his pay packet with a lower basic salary but earn lucrative bonuses in a new long-term contract.

Rodri, 28, still has nearly three years left on his deal but City are keen to open talks and tie down the talismanic Euro 2024 winner sooner rather than later.

He has admitted Spain’s contingent of Real players tried to tempt him into signing for the giants at this summer’s tournament.

Though Rodri has shown no sign of wanting a return to Madrid — he joined from Atletico five years ago — City are keen to end any doubts over their midfield general.

They are planning a raft of contract renewals and Rodri’s improved terms would put him on a par with top earners Erling Haaland and De Bruyne.

Yet insiders insist that a need to balance the books and 33-year-old De Bruyne’s own uncertain future could help to keep Rodri and others sweet.

The Belgian has less than ten months left on his contract and snubbed a move to Saudi Arabia this summer — but he admits it could be a consideration at some point.

De Bruyne will discuss his situation with City when the timing is right and there is no suggestion a new deal will not be on the table, with plenty of trust in the bank.

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But City may well ask him to follow previous examples when they have negotiated a lower basic salary — but with bigger bonuses — to keep some of their elder statesmen.

He  will be able to talk to clubs on the continent in January and there would be huge interest in him across the globe.

As well as Saudi and teams across Europe, it is understood City’s sister club New York City FC are interested in taking him to Major League Soccer.

Rodri will miss today’s Prem opener at Chelsea having been forced off at half-time of Spain’s Euro final victory over England — he has not yet returned to training with City.

Guardiola insists that he himself is refreshed and raring to go in the drive for five titles on the bounce.

The City boss admitted at the end of last season he was feeling the effects of a gruelling campaign.

Yet after a summer recharging his batteries Guardiola said: “When you arrive at the end of the season you are always a little bit tired.

“But for all of us, when you take a break in your job and disconnect a little bit, you bring energy back. It is necessary.

“I’ve learned that. Before I was like, ‘I have to work’. But no, sometimes when you rest, you work better.”

Source: Soccer - thesun.co.uk