Rodri Pushes for Barcelona Move Amid Ongoing Negotiations with Man City
Rodri has made his position clear. He wants Barcelona, and he is prepared to bend his pre-season schedule to get there.
The 30-year-old midfielder, who has already agreed personal terms with Barça after giving the club the green light almost a week ago, is now waiting on the only thing that matters: Manchester City and Barcelona finding common ground on a fee.
They have not – yet. But the gap is shrinking.
Special request to City
According to SPORT, Rodri has asked Manchester City for special permission to skip training while the two clubs try to close the deal.
His holidays officially ended on Thursday, with the Spain international due back at City training on Friday morning. Under normal circumstances, he would be jogging out at the training ground, ball at his feet, preparing for another title defence in England.
These are not normal circumstances.
Rodri wants to stay away from the sessions for now, protect himself, and wait while Barça and City try to iron out the final financial details. His preference is simple: avoid any unnecessary risk and be ready to travel straight to Barcelona the moment an agreement is signed.
If City say no, though, he will report as scheduled. The message from his camp is that he will respect the club’s decision while negotiations continue in the background.
Throughout all this, the relationship between Rodri, City and Barcelona is said to remain calm and respectful. No war, no public standoff. Just a high-stakes negotiation edging towards its conclusion.
Between Madrid, Liverpool… and Barcelona
Rodri’s movements on Thursday underlined the tension of the moment.
He was spotted at Madrid airport in the evening, boarding a flight bound for Liverpool. From there, it is a short drive – around 45 minutes – to Manchester. That trip could be purely logistical: return to collect his belongings, be physically nearby if City insist on his presence, stay ready for any outcome.
On one hand, he has requested to miss training. On the other, he is heading back towards Manchester. It is the posture of a player who has made his choice but will not force a public rupture.
His stance, though, is unwavering. He wants to wait for Barça. He hopes the clubs can close the deal in the coming days so he can fly directly to Catalonia and start working under Hansi Flick without another detour.
Clubs edging closer
There is still no final agreement between Barcelona and Manchester City, but the remaining financial difference is described as increasingly small. The feeling on both sides is that the deal is within reach if the final numbers can be aligned.
Inside Barcelona, they have seen this movie before. Ferran Torres found himself in a similar situation recently, given permission to delay his return while Barça wrapped up his move to Paris Saint-Germain. Rodri is hoping for the same level of flexibility from City.
For Deco and the Barça hierarchy, the mission is clear: close the deal quickly. Rodri is not just another signing. For many Blaugrana supporters, he is the transfer of the summer – a World Cup-winning, Ballon d’Or-level midfielder whose arrival would instantly raise Flick’s team several notches.
A defining call for City
As the talks continue, one decision will speak volumes: whether Manchester City insist on Rodri’s immediate return to training or quietly allow him to remain on the sidelines while the paperwork is finalised.
If he is summoned back and fully reintegrated, it may signal that City are prepared to hold firm a little longer. If they let him stay away, it will feel like the final act before Barcelona finally land the midfielder they have been chasing for weeks.
Either way, Rodri is already facing one direction. Now the question is whether the deal catches up with him in time.
