Report: Barcelona Agrees on Rodri Transfer
Despite initial reports that a 45-million-euro bid was rejected, sources in Spain now claim Manchester City has agreed to a 50-million-euro deal. The midfielder is expected to sign officially next week.
Barcelona and Manchester City have reached an agreement for the transfer of Rodri, according to a report by RAC1. The deal is valued at approximately 50 million euros, with final details expected to be settled in the coming hours. The plan is for the midfielder to join Barcelona on August 12.
This development follows reports in Spain and England detailing the negotiations. According to The Athletic, Barcelona initially submitted an offer of about 45 million euros plus bonuses, while the English club had demanded a sum in the region of 80 million euros.
Earlier, Manchester City had indicated that Barcelona's offer was far from the amount required to open serious negotiations. However, if the RAC1 report is accurate, the gap between the parties has narrowed quickly, leading to an agreement.
Rodri himself preferred a move to Barcelona over other options. Reports suggest the Spanish midfielder gave the Catalans the green light to negotiate with Manchester City after Real Madrid had also explored the possibility of signing him.
According to the Catalan newspaper Sport, Rodri requested that the deal be completed quickly so he could join the Barcelona squad by August 12, alongside other international players. He is currently in Ibiza with his family, awaiting the finalization of the deal.
One of the primary reasons for Rodri's desire to join Barcelona is professional compatibility. The squad already features eight players from the Spanish national team that won the 2026 World Cup, and he is well-acquainted with Lamine Yamal, Pedri, Gavi, Fermin Lopez, Pau Cubarsi, and Ferran Torres.
For Barcelona, this signing meets the requirements of manager Hansi Flick, who requested experienced, high-level additions to his young squad. Furthermore, the team will start the season without Frenkie de Jong, who is sidelined with a torn lateral ligament in his right knee.
Rodri, 30, is under contract at Manchester City until 2027 and has shown no significant willingness to extend it. He underwent minor back surgery following the World Cup but is expected to be fit for a return before the end of August.
Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019, recording 298 appearances, 28 goals, and 32 assists. During his tenure, he won four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups, and the Champions League.
If completed, the transfer will be part of a summer of significant change at Manchester City, which has already parted ways with Pep Guardiola after a decade, as well as Bernardo Silva and John Stones. The club has bolstered its midfield with Elliot Anderson, signed from Nottingham Forest for 116 million pounds.
Barcelona has already acquired Anthony Gordon from Newcastle and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund this summer, and continues to search for a new striker following the departure of Robert Lewandowski.
