Manchester City are growing increasingly frustrated as Barcelona continue to undervalue Rodri, with the Catalan club preparing a third offer worth around £60million that would still leave them £10million shy of City's £70million asking price for the World Cup winner and Ballon d'Or holder.
Despite the shortfall, City appear willing to facilitate a departure for their long-serving midfielder, who is understood to harbor ambitions of returning to Spanish football following his triumph with the national team at the World Cup this summer. Rodri, who lifted the golden ball award during that tournament, has reportedly settled on a move to Camp Nou after Real Madrid's own reluctance to meet City's demands pushed him toward Barcelona instead.
However, negotiations with the Blaugrana have proven similarly challenging. City have been left both bewildered and irritated by the pace and substance of talks, with Barcelona tabling two bids that fall well below expectations — one of which was reportedly regarded as "derisory" by City officials.
The ongoing saga over Rodri's future is not happening in isolation. It is closely tied to City's parallel pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, a player manager Pep Guardiola's club have identified as a priority target to reshape their midfield options. Chelsea, for their part, are holding firm on a valuation of £120million for the Argentine international, whom head coach Enzo Maresca is eager to keep at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea had initially set a deadline of 5pm on Friday for City to formalize their interest or risk losing the opportunity to sign Fernandez, but indications suggest enough progress has been made in discussions to keep the possibility alive beyond that cutoff. Sources close to the situation suggest City are unlikely to push forward decisively on the Fernandez deal until there is greater clarity regarding Rodri's exit, meaning talks over the Chelsea midfielder could extend well past the original deadline set by the London club.
The interconnected nature of these negotiations reflects the broader midfield overhaul City are attempting to execute this summer. Losing Rodri, who has become one of the most influential holding midfielders in world football and a central figure in City's recent domestic and European successes, would represent a significant shift in the club's approach heading into the new season. Yet City's willingness to entertain his departure — provided the fee is right — suggests an acknowledgment that both the player's wishes and the need for squad renewal are aligning at the same time.
For Barcelona, closing the gap with City's valuation will be crucial if they hope to complete a deal that many believe Rodri himself favors, having reportedly chosen the Camp Nou project over a return to Real Madrid. Whether the Spanish giants can bridge that financial divide remains to be seen, but City's stance suggests they are not prepared to significantly lower their demands, even as they seek to accommodate their departing captain's personal wishes.
As both deals continue to develop in tandem, City's summer transfer strategy appears to hinge on resolving the Rodri situation first, with the Fernandez pursuit likely to gain momentum only once there is more certainty over the Spaniard's next destination.
Based on reporting from The Independent.