Jose Mourinho is confident Real Madrid will be fine without Rodri, despite admitting the club made "a very good offer" in an attempt to sign the Spain captain.
Rodri officially signed for Barcelona – Madrid's rivals – after leaving Manchester City on Tuesday. Mourinho, who returned for a second spell as Real Madrid's head coach, said he spoke twice with Rodri as the club weighed up a move for the World Cup's best player, but felt the midfielder seemed uncertain about his future.
"The club contacted him, but he had doubts," Mourinho told the TV program El Chiringuito on Tuesday evening.
"What I think happened is that his doubts created doubts for me. He's an extraordinary player and he was very respectful with us.
"But Real Madrid has such a grand stature that it can't have players who have to think twice about committing to the club."
Just hours before Barcelona unveiled the Rodri deal on Tuesday, Real Madrid officially presented Mourinho in a closed-door ceremony with the media and fans. Mourinho, appointed in June and taking over in July as preseason began, downplayed Rodri's significance to Real.
"I don't need Rodri. We have solutions, quality players," he said, while insisting he didn't think Barcelona had gotten the best of Real Madrid by signing the midfielder.
"Victories are won on the pitch; they're won with trophies."
After a second consecutive season without a major trophy, the club signed players such as Marc Cucurella, Ibrahima Konate, Denzel Dumfries, Bernardo Silva, and Yan Diomande. Mourinho said the team has no plans to make further new signings.
"I'm not saying there won't be any more signings because the market is still open, but if you ask me directly if it's closed [for Madrid], then yes, it's closed," he said.
Real Madrid will kick off their La Liga season on Saturday away to Espanyol.
