Manchester City are ready to trigger Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri’s £62.5m release clause. Rodri, 22, informed Atletico on Tuesday of his desire to leave the club this summer after City and Bayern Munich indicated they would be willing to meet his buyout clause. City’s director of football Txiki Begiristain made Rodri their primary midfield target for this window as they seek competition, and an eventual replacement, for 34-year-old Fernandinho. They tried to sign Jorginho from Napoli last summer, but the Italian holding midfielder opted to join Chelsea instead. 
Diego Simeone wanted to keep Rodri, who made 34 appearances for the club this season after joining from Villarreal last summer for £21.5m. Should City pay Rodri’s release clause, it would just surpass the club record £60m the club paid Leicester City for winger Riyad Mahrez last summer. 
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