Barcelona Pursues Rodri with €60 Million Deal
Barcelona have moved aggressively in their pursuit of Rodri, with multiple reports in Spain and England suggesting the club are ready to commit one of the biggest financial packages of the Hansi Flick era to land the Manchester City midfielder.
A deal built around €60 million
Diario AS, relayed by Barca Universal, reports that Barcelona are prepared to pay around €60 million to City for the Spain international. Rodri is said to be in line for a four-year contract worth roughly €30 million gross per season.
Yahoo Sports has also detailed how Barcelona’s offer has evolved. An initial €45 million bid was reportedly rejected after English reports highlighted City’s higher valuation. Barcelona then returned with a second proposal: €60 million plus add-ons, with bonuses built in to try to close the distance to City’s asking price of around €80 million.
The Catalan club are now locked in talks with City, with Yahoo Sports adding that Barcelona want an agreement wrapped up this week so Rodri can join training as quickly as possible.
Choosing Barcelona over Real Madrid
The transfer battle has not just been about money. It has also cut right through the heart of Spanish football’s great rivalry.
According to AS, Rodri has informed Real Madrid of his decision to join Barcelona. The report states that the 30-year-old prefers Barcelona’s style of play, feels at ease with several players in the dressing room thanks to his time with the Spain national team, and values the footballing philosophy that flows from Pep Guardiola’s influence.
Barca Universal previously reported that Barcelona had moved ahead of Real Madrid in the race, with Madrid also keen on the Manchester City midfielder. If the deal is completed on these terms, it will mark a significant win for Barcelona not just in the market, but in a direct tug-of-war with their greatest rivals.
A major financial statement under Flick
For Barcelona, the numbers are huge. A fee in the region of €60 million combined with a four-year deal at around €30 million gross per season would rank among the club’s most substantial commitments since Hansi Flick took over.
Robert Lewandowski had been one of Barcelona’s top earners until his contract expired last season and he left the club. Rodri, on the reported salary, would effectively step straight into that bracket, becoming one of the leaders of the wage bill and, by extension, one of the central figures in Flick’s project.
The message is clear: Barcelona are prepared to pay elite money for an elite midfielder in his prime. Now the outcome rests on whether that €60 million plus bonuses is enough to bring Manchester City to the table one final time.
