Barcelona Seal £65m Deal to Sign Rodri From Manchester City

Barcelona (GNP): Barcelona have reached an agreement to sign Spain captain Rodri from Manchester City in a deal worth approximately £65 million, bringing an end to the midfielder’s seven-year stay at the Etihad Stadium.

The 30-year-old, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024, is set to sign a four-year contract with the Spanish champions, with the transfer expected to be finalised in the coming days. Rodri made 298 appearances for City after joining the club from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club-record £62.8 million, establishing himself as one of the most influential midfielders in world football during his time in Manchester.

His stay at City was not without setbacks. He missed the majority of the 2024-25 season through a serious knee injury, and further disruption followed last season due to a hamstring problem. Despite those challenges, Rodri returned to peak form at this summer’s World Cup, captaining Spain to their second world title while being named player of the tournament, a performance that underlined his continued value on the biggest stage.

Rodri departs Manchester City with 12 major honours to his name, including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League, which he won with the club in the 2022-23 season. His exit marks the close of one of the most decorated individual spells in the club’s recent history.

Negotiations over his transfer developed steadily in recent weeks. City had rejected an opening offer of £38.5 million from Barcelona last week, with Rodri entering the final year of his contract at the Etihad. Real Madrid had appeared to be the frontrunners for his signature at one stage, but Barcelona intensified their pursuit in recent days to secure the agreement.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca addressed Rodri’s expected departure after his side’s defeat by Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday. Maresca said Rodri, as a player who had just won the World Cup and the Ballon d’Or, remained a top performer that every team would want, while stressing his focus for City was moving forward regardless of the outcome.

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Rodri’s departure adds urgency to Manchester City’s efforts to strengthen their midfield ahead of the new season. The club have been linked with Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old regarded as a deep-lying playmaker in a similar mould to Rodri, and one who would complement summer signing Elliot Anderson’s more box-to-box profile. Bouaddi drew wider attention following a starring role in Lille’s Champions League win over Real Madrid in 2024 and gained further experience with 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season.

City have also maintained interest in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez, despite not submitting a bid before the Blues’ Friday deadline for offers. Chelsea, who value the Argentine at £120 million, are not believed to have received any bids by the deadline and are hoping to retain their vice-captain. City, however, are understood to still view a potential deal as open, with Maresca previously making Fernandez captain during his time in charge at Stamford Bridge.

According to the report, other midfield options under consideration include Bournemouth’s Alex Scott, who has rejected contract extension offers from the Cherries amid interest from several Premier League clubs, and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister, whose experience and pedigree as a Premier League winner make him an appealing target despite a challenging 2025-26 campaign.