Barcelona agree £65m Rodri deal from Manchester City
Barcelona have agreed a £65m deal to sign 30-year-old Spain captain Rodri from Manchester City on a four-year contract.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
- Barcelona agree to sign Rodri from Manchester City for around £65m
- The 30-year-old Ballon d'Or winner will sign a four-year contract
- Man City eye replacements including Ayyoub Bouaddi, Enzo Fernandez, and Alex Scott
Barcelona have successfully reached an agreement to sign Spain captain Rodri from Manchester City for a fee of approximately £65m. The 30-year-old midfielder, who claimed the prestigious Ballon d'Or award in 2024, is set to commit his future to the Spanish champions by signing a four-year contract in the coming days.
Rodri departs Manchester City after making 298 appearances across seven trophy-laden seasons, having initially joined from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for what was then a club-record fee of £62.8m. During his time at the Etihad Stadium, he collected 12 major honours, including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups, and the Champions League in the 2022-23 campaign.
Although he missed a significant portion of the 2024-25 season due to a serious knee injury and suffered minor hamstring issues last term, Rodri rediscovered his absolute best form during the summer World Cup. He captained Spain to their second title and earned the player of the tournament accolade.
Stock photo for illustration only, not from the actual event
This transfer comes just a week after City rejected an initial £38.5m bid from Barcelona, with the player entering the final year of his contract. While Real Madrid were initially linked as his prospective next destination, their La Liga rivals stepped up negotiations to finalize the deal.
Losing a player of Rodri's caliber represents a monumental tactical shift for Manchester City. As the foundational anchor of their midfield, his ability to dictate tempo and break up opposition attacks has been irreplaceable, forcing the club to explore top-tier alternatives in the transfer market.
To fill the significant void left by Rodri—alongside the departure of Bernardo Silva—City are monitoring several midfield targets. These include 18-year-old Lille sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi valued at £85m, Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez valued at £120m, Bournemouth's 22-year-old Alex Scott, and Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister as potential reinforcements for the squad.
Source: BBC Sport
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