Rodri is set to sign for Barcelona from Manchester City, according to transfer expert Fabrizio Romano, who gave the prospective deal his trademark 'here we go' treatment on Sunday night. The Spain midfielder had been heavily linked with a return to his homeland, and Real Madrid were also thought to be potential suitors for the 30-year-old.
Extended break after World Cup win
The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner did not feature for his club in their 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in the Community Shield in Cardiff on Sunday, having been afforded an extended break following his and Spain's World Cup win earlier this summer. He did not even make the matchday squad at the Principality Stadium, with new £116million signing Elliot Anderson paired with Mateo Kovacic in Enzo Maresca's double pivot, and Nico was brought on in the second half.
Deal agreed between clubs
Now, it seems as though Rodri has played his last game in a City shirt, with Romano reporting that a deal had been agreed between Barcelona and City to take him back to La Liga, where he rose to prominence at Atletico Madrid. During his time at the Etihad Stadium, Rodri has made 196 appearances for the club, scoring 23 goals, including the winner in the 2023 Champions League final, which won Pep Guardiola's men a maiden European crown.
City's transfer plans
He has been in England since 2019, being crowned the world's best player in that time, as well as winning the treble in 2023. The midfielder lifted four Premier League titles, won two FA Cups, and three League Cups. City are, in Maresca's words, looking to be "active" in the transfer market in the last few days of the window. They are in talks with Lille over the potential signing of Ayyoub Bouaddi, the 18-year-old Moroccan starlet, while Savinho is angling to leave the Etihad Stadium for a move to Tottenham.
