Barcelona's Pursuit of Rodri Reaches Critical Stage
Barcelona’s pursuit of Rodri is still alive, but it’s turning into a high‑wire act rather than a formality.
Manchester City have already turned down Barça’s second bid: €60 million guaranteed with a further €10m in variables that could have taken the total package to €70m. The Premier League champions are standing their ground, asking for a fixed fee in the €70–80m range for a player who has just one year left on his contract.
Barça line up what they call a ‘definitive’ offer
According to SPORT, Barcelona believe they have pushed their proposal as far as they can. The offer rejected late on Wednesday was already framed as a major effort from the Catalan club, but the talks are still very much alive.
Now, Barça are shaping what internally is being treated as their final throw: a bid expected to reach €65m fixed plus €10m in add‑ons. Around €5m of those variables would be relatively easy to hit, with the remaining €5m tied to more demanding conditions.
That structure could finally drag City to the negotiating table in earnest. Barcelona want the offer ready within hours, hoping to strike an agreement quickly enough for Rodri to change his travel plans and skip a return to Manchester altogether.
Rodri pushes for Barcelona switch
Rodri is due back in Manchester on Friday. He would rather not make that trip.
The midfielder has made it clear where he wants to be: in Barcelona, playing at the heart of their project. He knows the financial stretch Barça are making to sign him and has responded in kind, accepting concessions in his own contract to help get the deal over the line.
He has turned down certain sums that Real Madrid were willing to put on the table, a gesture that underlines that this decision is being driven by sporting and personal factors rather than by chasing the highest salary. His stance, and his direct request for City to ease his exit, could be crucial as negotiations enter their decisive phase.
City already eyeing life after Rodri
Publicly, Manchester City maintain that they are prepared to keep Rodri for the final year of his deal. Their transfer moves tell a different story.
The English champions are working on midfield reinforcements, with talks ongoing for players such as Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez. Those signings would help absorb the impact of losing the Spain international and suggest that City’s hierarchy know a sale is a real possibility.
For Barcelona, the operation has been more complex and more expensive than they first imagined. Yet the distance between the two clubs’ positions has narrowed to the point where a breakthrough can arrive at any moment.
The clock is ticking. Does Rodri board a flight back to Manchester on Friday — or step straight into a new life in Barcelona?
