Barcelona Agree £65m Deal to Sign Rodri from Manchester City
Barcelona have agreed a deal worth around £65m to sign Spain captain Rodri from Manchester City.
The 30-year-old midfielder, who won the Ballon d’Or in 2024, is expected to sign a four-year contract with the Spanish champions. The transfer is expected to be completed in the coming days.
Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club-record £62.8m. He went on to make 298 appearances for the club and won 12 major trophies during his seven seasons in England.
His honours include four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League in the 2022-23 season.
Rodri missed much of the 2024-25 campaign after suffering a serious knee injury, while a hamstring problem also affected parts of last season.
However, he returned to his best form at the World Cup in the summer, helping Spain win their second World Cup title. He was also named Player of the Tournament.
### City look at Fernandez replacement
Manchester City are still interested in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez as a possible replacement for Rodri.
Chelsea had set a Friday 17:00 BST deadline for interested clubs to make an offer for Fernandez, with the Blues valuing the 25-year-old at around £120m.
No bid is believed to have been made before the deadline, and Chelsea are now hoping to keep their vice-captain.
However, City are understood to believe the possibility of a deal is still open.
Fernandez has played in a deeper midfield role during his career but was often used further forward last season, scoring a career-best 15 goals.
City have also signed England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest this summer, giving the club more options in midfield.
Another player on City’s radar is 18-year-old Ayyoub Bouaddi. The midfielder has been linked with a move to the Premier League champions, with reports suggesting he could cost around £85m.
For now, Rodri’s move to Barcelona is set to bring an end to his successful spell at Manchester City, with the midfielder preparing for a new chapter in Spain.
