Manchester City have turned down an initial offer from Barcelona for midfielder Rodri, rebuffing a proposal worth £38.6million as falling well short of their asking price.
According to reports, City are holding firm on a valuation in the region of £68.5million for the Spain international, and view Barcelona's opening approach as too far removed from that figure to justify serious negotiations at this stage. The Premier League champions are said to be unwilling to enter club-to-club discussions until any future proposal moves closer to their asking price.
Barcelona are expected to return with an improved offer in the coming weeks as they continue their pursuit of the 30-year-old. The Catalan club have identified Rodri as a potential solution to their midfield issues following a serious injury to Frenkie De Jong, who is set to be sidelined for the start of the 2026/27 campaign after suffering a torn medial collateral ligament in his right knee in July.
Rodri, who won the World Cup with Spain and was named the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, has just one year remaining on his contract at the Etihad Stadium. That situation has added urgency to City's decision-making, with the club aware they risk losing the midfielder for a reduced fee, or for nothing at all, should no agreement be reached before his deal expires.
The former Atletico Madrid man is reportedly keen to leave City this summer, having previously expressed a desire to return to Spain and play in La Liga once again. Reports suggest Rodri favours a move to Barcelona above any other suitor, despite Real Madrid also being credited with interest in his signature.
Indeed, Real Madrid are understood to have been confident of agreeing personal terms and a transfer before Barcelona entered the race. The Catalan giants' interest has reportedly shifted the balance in Rodri's future, with the midfielder said to prefer a switch to Camp Nou.
Rodri's potential departure comes amid a period of major transition at the Etihad. Pep Guardiola, the manager who oversaw the club's rise to domestic and European dominance, has left his post, and several key figures from City's historic 2023 Champions League-winning squad have already departed this summer, including John Stones and Bernardo Silva. Should a deal be struck, Rodri would become the latest player from that trophy-laden squad to move on.
The 30-year-old has been working his way back to full fitness after undergoing minor back surgery following the World Cup. He is expected to be available again before the end of the month, timing that could prove significant as negotiations between the two clubs continue.
For now, City appear determined to extract a fee close to their valuation, resisting pressure to lower their demands despite Rodri's contract situation and his apparent willingness to move to Spain. Barcelona, for their part, are widely expected to table a revised bid as they seek to bolster their midfield options in De Jong's absence.
With Real Madrid still lurking in the background and Rodri's preference reportedly leaning towards Barcelona, the coming weeks are likely to bring further developments in one of the summer's most closely watched transfer sagas.
Based on reporting from Standard Sport.