Manchester City have rejected an opening offer of £38.5m from Barcelona for midfielder Rodri. City are reportedly open to selling the Spanish international but would seek a fee exceeding £60m. Rodri is entering the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium and has not yet agreed to a new deal, leading to speculation about his future.
Initially, Real Madrid appeared to be the likely destination for Rodri. However, Barcelona has now emerged as a strong contender, with sources indicating that the club has secured the player’s approval to begin negotiations with City. The formal offer from Barcelona was made on Friday, following ongoing discussions with Rodri’s representatives.
Rodri’s Recent Career and Injury Concerns
Rodri’s 2024-25 season was significantly impacted by a serious knee injury, and he also experienced hamstring issues in the previous season. Despite these setbacks, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner showcased strong form at the World Cup, where he led Spain to their second title and was named player of the tournament.
Currently, Rodri is recovering from back surgery he underwent last month. He is scheduled to rejoin his City teammates in Manchester early next week. With the transfer window progressing into the second week of August, City aims to resolve Rodri’s future promptly to facilitate the signing of a replacement.
City is reportedly in talks to sign 18-year-old Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille. However, the French club’s reported asking price of £86m is understood to be a point of contention in negotiations.
Barcelona’s Increased Interest and Real Madrid’s Stalled Talks
Barcelona has intensified its efforts to secure Rodri, particularly after talks between Real Madrid and the player stalled. Despite weeks of discussions with Rodri and his representatives, Real Madrid had not reached an agreement. It is understood that Rodri spoke with Barcelona’s manager, Hansi Flick, and sporting director, Deco, on Wednesday, indicating his desire to return to Spain.
Barcelona, who will be without midfielder Frenkie de Jong for several months due to a knee injury, is now expected to contact City to negotiate the structure of the transfer fee for the 30-year-old midfielder. Real Madrid, who recently signed Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for a club-record fee of £115m and extended Vinícius Júnior’s contract, may need to offload players like Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga if they intend to sign Rodri.
According to Spanish radio network Cadena Ser, Rodri’s agent, Pablo Barquero, confirmed that Real Madrid had made an “irresistible” offer shortly after Spain’s World Cup victory. Despite positive discussions over two weeks, Rodri made a personal decision to accept another offer. Real Madrid was informed of this decision on Friday and opted to end the process, expressing gratitude for the respectful conduct of negotiations.
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s attempts to acquire Julián Alvarez from Atlético Madrid have been met with resistance, as Atlético insists the striker is not for sale. Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final, is in the final year of his contract at Barcelona and is awaiting talks regarding an extension. He is scheduled to be in training for Barcelona on 12 August.
Source: bbc.co.uk