FC Barcelona will be without Frenkie de Jong at the start of the 2026-27 season after he tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. Against that backdrop, the club have made an offer to Manchester City for Rodri, who prefers a move to Camp Nou over any other destination.
As The Athletic has reported, Barcelona have put around €45 million plus add-ons on the table for the 30-year-old. City want a fee in the region of €80 million to allow Spain’s World Cup-winning captain to leave.
City regard the level of fee Barcelona have communicated as well below the figure required to begin negotiations over a sale. The Premier League club also maintain that no meaningful club-to-club talks are taking place because they have not received what they consider a serious bid.
Rodri’s City contract expires in 2027, and he has shown little willingness to extend it. Real Madrid had been working on a deal before Barcelona entered the race. During the April international break, Rodri spoke about wanting to return to Spain and play in La Liga again before the end of his career, while also highlighting the appeal of representing Madrid.
He underwent minor back surgery after Spain’s World Cup triumph and is expected to return before the end of August. Rodri was instrumental in Spain’s victory over Argentina in the final and received the Golden Ball.
Barcelona’s wider summer rebuild has included the arrivals of wingers Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund. A new striker remains a target following Robert Lewandowski’s departure, with Atletico Madrid forward Julian Alvarez having been pursued.
The gap between Barcelona’s offer and City’s valuation remains the central issue. Any agreement would require the clubs to move considerably closer on the fee.
