Rodri Nears Barcelona Move After Manchester City Reportedly Accepts £65.4 Million Bid
Dragon Media News Desk
Spanish midfielder and Manchester City captain Rodri is reportedly close to joining Barcelona after the English club accepted a £65.4 million offer from the Spanish champions.
The 30-year-old, who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, is understood to have agreed terms on a four-year contract with Barcelona. The transfer is expected to be completed after the remaining formalities are finalized.
Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for what was then a club-record fee of £62.8 million. Over seven seasons, he made 298 appearances and became one of the most influential players of City’s most successful era.
During his time at the club, Rodri won 12 major trophies, including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Champions League in the 2022–23 season.
His current contract with Manchester City has only one year remaining. The club had attempted to retain him on a new deal, but reports indicate that Rodri expressed a desire to return to Spain and join Barcelona.
Barcelona had previously made a lower offer, which Manchester City rejected before the two clubs moved closer to an agreement.
Rodri’s recent seasons have been affected by injuries. After recovering from a serious knee problem, he later underwent a minor back procedure and has only recently returned to training. He was not included in Manchester City’s squad for Sunday’s Community Shield defeat to Arsenal.
City’s new manager Enzo Maresca described Rodri as a top-class player and acknowledged the importance of footballers of his quality to any team.
Rodri’s expected departure comes as Manchester City continue to reshape their midfield. The club has already strengthened the position and is reportedly pursuing additional young midfield options as part of the rebuilding process.
If the transfer is completed, Rodri will return to Spanish club football seven years after leaving Atletico Madrid for Manchester.
His departure would mark the end of a highly successful chapter at Manchester City and create another major challenge for Maresca as he attempts to rebuild the midfield around a new generation of players.
