Barcelona Intensifies Push for Rodri Amidst Manchester City Negotiations
The Rodri saga has moved from background noise to full volume. Negotiations between FC Barcelona and Manchester City are racing forward, with both clubs now deep in talks over a deal that could reshape the European midfield landscape.
Rodri has made his stance clear inside the Etihad. He wants Barcelona. He has already turned down Real Madrid, a decision that sharpened Barça’s focus and left City dealing with a player whose priority lies elsewhere.
City manager Enzo Maresca publicly spoke as though he expected the midfielder back in training, but behind the scenes the mood is different. The transfer is edging closer, and the pace of discussions reflects that.
Barcelona raise the stakes
Barcelona have now tabled their second formal offer for the World Cup winner: a package worth €70 million in total.
Their opening bid of €50 million went nowhere. City dismissed it quickly, confident in their valuation and in no rush to bow to pressure. Reports in England indicated that the Premier League champions were looking for around £70 million, roughly €80 million, before even thinking about letting Rodri leave.
Talks did not collapse. They simply moved into a more serious phase over the weekend, with both clubs working on a structure that could satisfy City while keeping Barça within their financial limits.
That work has produced the current proposal: €65 million fixed, plus €5 million in add-ons. A sizeable jump from the first offer, but still shy of City’s reported asking price.
Neither side, though, seems interested in dragging this out. There is broad agreement on one fundamental point: Rodri wants the move, and he wants it now.
City expected to bend – but how far?
Barcelona’s second offer puts the ball firmly in City’s court. The expectation from the Catalan side is that the English champions will soften their stance and accept a slightly lower guaranteed fee, helped by performance-related bonuses.
City must now decide whether to hold the line on their valuation or recognise that keeping a key player who is set on leaving carries its own risks, even for a squad as deep as theirs.
For Barcelona, the margin for manoeuvre is thin. Club sources believe there is very little room left for further negotiation. Any next step would likely involve only minor tweaks rather than a dramatic third bid.
The intention is clear: close the deal between today and tomorrow. No drawn-out saga, no late-summer brinkmanship.
Rodri waiting on green light
From the player’s side, everything is ready. Rodri has already agreed a four-year contract with the La Liga champions and is pushing to see the move completed as soon as possible.
His aim is simple: avoid returning to Manchester for pre-season and instead report directly to Barcelona to begin the next chapter of his career.
The framework is in place. The desire is unquestioned. Now the outcome rests on one final decision in Manchester: is Barcelona’s latest €70 million package enough for City to let go of one of the pillars of their recent dominance, or will this transfer test just how badly Barça want their new midfield general?
