Barcelona Reaches Agreement to Sign Rodri from Manchester City

Barcelona has secured an agreement in principle to sign Rodri, the Manchester City midfielder, for a total package valued at €76.5 million (£65.3 million), as confirmed by various sources to ESPN. After failing to land Rodri in two prior attempts, the Spanish champions made a successful third bid over the weekend.

The deal was finalized on Sunday, with paperwork exchanged between the two clubs. Rodri, 30, is anticipated to arrive in Barcelona shortly and may be presented ahead of the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Al Ahly at Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday.

The signing of Rodri, who recently won the World Cup with Spain, follows shortly after reports indicated that fullback João Cancelo is also expected to return to Barcelona as a free agent. Both players will mark Barça’s fourth and fifth signings this summer, which has already seen the additions of Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, and Jesse Bisiwu.

Barcelona is also actively seeking a striker, with Atlético Madrid’s Julián Álvarez identified as a primary target after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. Initially not a summer priority, Rodri became an essential target for the club once he became available following his World Cup success.

Barcelona was prompted to enhance their midfield acquisitions due to a long-term injury to Frenkie de Jong. While Real Madrid showed interest in Rodri, sources indicated that he favored a move to Barcelona. After reaching an agreement with Rodri, the Catalan club moved quickly to negotiate with Manchester City, who were willing to consider a deal given that Rodri had just one year remaining on his contract.

Rodri is viewed by Barcelona as a significant signing that can elevate Hansi Flick’s squad, which has secured consecutive Spanish championships, to a higher level in future seasons. The midfielder, who joined City in 2019 after stints with Villarreal and Atlético Madrid, has achieved remarkable success at both club and international levels, including winning four Premier League titles, a Champions League title, the European Championships, and the World Cup. He was named player of the tournament in both the Euro and World Cup, accolades which contributed to his Ballon d’Or win in 2024.

Special Credits: Image Courtesy of Espn