Man City star Rodri with Barcelona and Real Madrid badges
Barcelona could hijack Real Madrid's move for Rodri
Barcelona have entered the race for Manchester City midfielder Rodri after making contact with the Spain international’s representatives over a potential move to the Camp Nou, TEAMtalk understands.
The 30-year-old is currently recovering from minor back surgery, which was successfully completed earlier this summer, and is expected to return for Man City’s pre-season preparations next week.
As we exclusively revealed earlier this summer, Rodri has already informed Man City that he does not intend to extend his current contract, believing the time is right to return to Spain after a hugely successful spell in the Premier League.
We also revealed that interest from Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich failed to develop after Rodri’s camp made it clear that only a move back to Spain appealed to the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.
Real Madrid have already agreed personal terms with Rodri, but negotiations with Man City over a transfer fee have yet to progress to the point where a deal is close.
Sources have confirmed that intermediaries have continued exploring alternative options, and Barcelona have now emerged as a genuine contender.
The Catalan giants have approached Rodri’s representatives to establish what a deal would look like. Crucially, sources indicate that agreeing personal terms would not present a problem.
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Barcelona could hijack Real Madrid’s Rodri move
Real Madrid have so far been reluctant to exceed £60million for the midfielder, while Man City are hoping to generate a higher fee for one of the world’s leading holding midfielders.
Barcelona’s arrival in the race could therefore help strengthen Man City’s negotiating position.
Barcelona’s interest has been heightened by Frenkie de Jong’s injury this summer, although sources with knowledge of the situation have stressed that any move would first require significant player sales.
Ferran Torres’ proposed move to Paris Saint-Germain is one departure that could generate funds, but Barcelona also acknowledge they would likely need to reinvest part of that income in a replacement attacker.
The club are also still working to complete the permanent signing of Joao Cancelo.
We understand Barcelona’s priority signing remains Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, whose price tag is expected to exceed €100million (£85.7m / $115.4m), meaning Rodri would only become a realistic option if further finances were created.
Sources close to the player have confirmed Rodri would be open to joining Barcelona and believes his style of play would suit Hansi Flick’s system.
However, talks with Real Madrid remain ongoing, with Los Blancos continuing to view the Spain international as a cornerstone of Jose Mourinho’s long-term plans should they succeed in reaching an agreement with Manchester City.