Manchester City have rejected an initial offer from Barcelona for midfielder Rodri. The bid, reported to be around £38.5m or £40m, has been deemed too low by City, who are seeking upwards of £60m for the player.
Talks regarding a potential transfer have paused for the moment, though Barcelona’s interest in signing Rodri persists. Sources in Spain suggest that Rodri would prefer a move to Barcelona over Real Madrid.
Rodri’s Contract Situation and Barcelona’s Interest
Rodri is currently in the final year of his contract with Manchester City. He joined the club in 2019 from Atlético Madrid and has reportedly turned down an offer for a contract extension. City are firm on their asking price and are not expected to allow him to leave for less.
Barcelona has emerged as Rodri’s preferred destination, with reports indicating he has agreed personal terms with the Spanish champions. This follows his expressed desire to return to his home country after the departure of Pep Guardiola from Manchester City.
The Spanish club is looking for a replacement for midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is expected to be out for several months due to a knee injury. Rodri, who recently underwent minor back surgery and will miss most of City’s pre-season, has reportedly spoken with Barça’s manager, Hansi Flick, and sporting director, Deco, about a possible move.
Potential Replacements and Other Club Interests
Should Rodri depart, Manchester City may consider bringing in a more experienced replacement. Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández is among the players thought to be under consideration. Reports from Italy suggest Fernández would be a “dream” signing for City’s manager, Enzo Maresca.
However, earlier reports indicated that City were not considering Fernández, as their priority was to retain Rodri. The situation’s fluidity means that circumstances regarding Fernández could change, and City might look to sign two players if Rodri joins Barcelona.
Fernández, who has a contract with Chelsea until 2032, is due back at training next week. There have been previous reports of him expressing a desire to live in Madrid, leading to an apology from him and his agent. Real Madrid, however, denied any interest in signing Fernández last month.
Real Madrid manager José Mourinho is reportedly unhappy about being potentially outmanoeuvred by Barcelona in the pursuit of Rodri. Mourinho had reportedly made signing a central midfielder a priority upon his return to the Santiago Bernabéu.
Real Madrid has already signed Yan Diomande for £115m and Marc Cucurella, Bernardo Silva, Ibrahima Konaté, Denzel Dumfries, and Carlos Espí. To balance their finances, they might need to sell players like Aurélien Tchouaméni or Eduardo Camavinga if they wish to pursue Fernández.
Manchester City has recently signed Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m and is in negotiations with Lille for Ayyoub Bouaddi, who could cost up to £80m. City does not want to sell Rodri and would prefer to agree to a new contract with him, but would not stand in his way if he asks to leave.
Rodri was awarded the Golden Ball as the World Cup’s best player last month.
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Source: theguardian.com
