The Manchester City and Spain midfielder was speaking at a media day held at the national team's Ciudad del Fútbol base in Las Rozas, where he was questioned on a range of topics including the speculation linking him to the Bernabéu.
"It is part of football," he said. "I am focused on being a leader for the national team. That is my path. I understand the noise, but I am not going to dedicate my time to it. We will see after the World Cup."
The 30-year-old's comments came less than 24 hours after Real Madrid presidential candidate Enrique Riquelme named him publicly as a transfer target, claiming he had held conversations with Rodri's representative.
Rodri won the Ballon d'Or in 2024 after a defining season with City, but suffered a serious knee injury later that year that kept him out for several months. He returned to action this season and said he feels physically ready for the tournament despite carrying less match sharpness than 12 months ago.
"I arrive fresh after a season that has personally been good, even if the team did not achieve everything we wanted. I have less match rhythm than in 2024, but on the other hand less weight from game time."
He pushed back gently on the pressure of being among the tournament favourites, insisting labels count for little.
"The World Cup is very long and demanding. You have to see how things feel. Labels serve little purpose."
Rodri has a long-standing contract with City, and the Spanish club has not commented publicly on any approach or contact. Whether Riquelme — a significant underdog going into Sunday's vote against incumbent Florentino Pérez — ever has the authority to follow through on his promises remains entirely open.
For now, Rodri's focus is unambiguous: Spain's World Cup campaign takes absolute precedence over transfer conjecture.