Rodri is set to complete a move to Barcelona after Manchester City agreed a £65.4m fee for the Ballon d’Or winner, bringing an end to his seven-year stint at the Etihad Stadium
Manchester City have accepted a bid from Barcelona that will see Rodri seal a switch to Camp Nou. The World Cup winner will leave City after the club accepted a comprehensive package worth £65.4million for their midfield maestro.
City had been hopeful that Rodri would pen fresh terms at the Etihad, but with his contract entering its final 12 months, it became apparent the Ballon d’Or victor would not extend his stay. With Barcelona pursuing him over the past fortnight, City established a valuation exceeding £60m, which has now been satisfied.
Rodri has spent seven years at City, joining from Atletico Madrid for a club-record £62.8m. The Spaniard earned the title of best player in the world before a devastating knee problem in September 2024 sidelined him for nearly a year.
He made his comeback in May 2025 and contributed significantly to City’s double trophy haul last term, though he didn’t rediscover his peak until leading Spain to World Cup triumph over the summer.
The 30-year-old reported back to the City Football Academy on Friday, via a Ryanair flight, with no deal finalised between Barcelona and the Blues. Yet he was notably absent from the squad that journeyed south for Sunday’s Community Shield match in Cardiff, which ended in a 3-0 reverse against Arsenal.
While he isn’t completely match-fit, the Spaniard had previously attended fixtures while carrying injuries to show solidarity with his teammates.
City are determined to find a replacement for Rodri and a significant fee will assist them, with a deal for Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi progressing. The club have already added Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest but will feel they need more given the significance of Rodri in the squad.
City’s pursuit of Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez continues despite missing the deadline set by the west London outfit. Nevertheless, manager Enzo Maresca emphasised that time is working against the club with only a few weeks remaining in the window.
“Any new signing, the sooner they arrive the better because we are starting the Premier League in one week and if they start to work with us as soon as possible it’s better that they can also understand the way we want to play,” said Maresca.
“We knew already before the game of the things that we need to do. It’s not because we lost the game or even if we had won the game to think differently. We are quite clear in what we need to do and for sure we are going to do something before the window closes.”