Barcelona enters race for Rodri from Manchester City

Barcelona has entered the bidding war for Rodri. According to The Athletic, the Catalan club has begun negotiations with the 30-year-old midfielder currently at Manchester City, where he is under contract until 2027.

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner was already a known target for Real Madrid — the Spanish champions have been long interested and Rodri even opened the door to a move in April — but Barcelona now aims to get ahead in the race. Madrid are reportedly evaluating the deal at around 60 million euros, a significant sum for Barcelona's finances, especially following Frenkie De Jong's knee injury.

Rodri, European champion in 2024 and world champion in 2026 with Spain (70 caps, 4 goals), has been at Manchester since 2019 after stints at Villarreal and Atlético Madrid. With just one year remaining on his contract, a return to La Liga is becoming increasingly likely.