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Rodri dreams of Barcelona move
Archived — this story has rotated out of today’s deck. It is kept here in full.
The gist
Manchester City accepted Barcelona's £65.4m bid for Rodri. The 30-year-old World Cup winner will sign a four-year deal.
Background
Rodri, a 30-year-old Spanish midfielder and Ballon d'Or winner, entered the final year of his Manchester City contract and expressed a desire to move to Barcelona. Barcelona made several bids, with City initially rejecting offers before accepting a £65.4m deal. The move was accelerated by Barcelona's need to cover for injured midfielder Frenkie de Jong.
How it unfolded
- Aug 13, 2026Barcelona's second offer for Rodri was rejected by Manchester City, who held firm on a €70 million valuation.
- Aug 15, 2026Barcelona submitted a third and final offer of €70 million fixed plus variables, with talks entering the final stretch.
- Aug 16, 2026Manchester City accepted Barcelona's bid of £65.4m, and Rodri is set to sign a four-year deal.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- Barcelona confirmed a deal was reached with Manchester City to sign Rodri.
- Analysts
- Journalists reported that Rodri was keen on the move and that Barcelona were optimistic about completing the transfer.
Still unverified
The exact fee and add-ons are not fully confirmed; reports vary between £65.4m and €70m plus variables.