Manchester City have turned down an initial offer from Barcelona for midfielder Rodri, deeming the bid to be too low. This has led to a temporary halt in negotiations for the Spain international.
Despite the rejected offer, Barcelona’s interest in signing Rodri persists. Sources in Spain suggest that Rodri would favour a move to Barcelona over Real Madrid. City, however, are keen to keep their World Cup-winning captain and are looking to agree a new contract with him. Should Rodri express a desire to leave, the club would not prevent his departure.
Transfer Negotiations and Player Interest
The initial offer from Barcelona was reported to be £38.5m. Manchester City is open to selling the player but would seek a fee exceeding £60m. Rodri is entering the final year of his contract at Etihad Stadium and has not yet signed a new deal, leading to speculation about his future.
Barcelona has now emerged as a leading contender for Rodri’s signature. Sources indicate that the club received the player’s approval to begin negotiations with City. The offer was subsequently made on Friday. While there were initial uncertainties, the situation appears to be progressing. Barcelona confirmed on Friday that they are in ongoing discussions with Rodri’s representatives.
Previously, Real Madrid had been considered a potential destination for Rodri. Talks between Rodri’s representatives and Real Madrid had reportedly begun shortly after the tournament. However, sources indicate that talks with Real Madrid have now concluded.
Barcelona’s manager, Hansi Flick, and sporting director, Deco, reportedly spoke with Rodri on Wednesday about a potential move, with the player indicating his interest in returning to Spain. Barcelona is expected to contact City to discuss the structure of the transfer fee for the player, who was named the Golden Ball winner at the World Cup.
Potential Replacements and Player Status
As Manchester City considers options for a replacement, reports from Italy suggest that Chelsea‘s Enzo Fernandez would be manager Enzo Maresca‘s preferred signing. However, earlier reports indicated that Fernandez was not a target for City, as their focus was on retaining Rodri.
The evolving situation means that circumstances regarding Fernandez could change, especially if Rodri moves to Barcelona, as City might then look to acquire two new players. City is also in negotiations with Lille for 18-year-old Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, though the French club’s asking price of £86m is a point of contention.
Rodri missed a significant portion of the 2024-25 season due to a serious knee injury, and parts of the previous season were affected by a hamstring issue. Despite this, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner performed strongly at the World Cup this summer, helping Spain secure their second title and earning the player of the tournament award.
He recently underwent back surgery and is currently out of action. Rodri 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 quickly resolve Rodri’s future to secure a replacement.
Jamie Carragher commented on the situation, suggesting that selling Rodri for a significant fee would not be beneficial for Manchester City. He highlighted Rodri’s importance as one of the best midfielders in the Premier League and in world football. Carragher believes that losing Rodri would create a significant void for City.
Laura Hunter also emphasised Rodri’s significance, describing him as a complete central midfielder in the Premier League. She noted that City’s in-play strategy under Pep Guardiola has revolved around Rodri’s ability to control games and set the tempo. Hunter added that there is no current player who can influence a game in the same way as Rodri.
Real Madrid, having signed Yan Diomande from RB Leipzig for a club record fee of £115m and agreed a six-year contract extension with Vinícius Júnior, may need to offload players such as Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga if they were to pursue Rodri.
Barcelona has also been attempting to sign Julián Alvarez from Atlético Madrid. Atlético has maintained that the Argentina striker is not for sale. Deco met with Alvarez’s representatives on Wednesday.
Ferran Torres is in the final year of his contract at Barcelona and is awaiting talks regarding an extension. He stated that he is scheduled to be in training for Barcelona on 12 August.
James Trafford completed a move to Leeds after undergoing a medical at Elland Road. Leeds agreed a fee of £40m plus add-ons with City for the player.
Source: skysports.com