FC Barcelona and Manchester City have reached a preliminary agreement for the transfer of Spanish midfielder Rodri, who won the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Following weeks of tough talks and several rejected offers, Barcelona finally agreed on a deal worth £65.4m on Sunday night.
Even though Rodri, the captain of the Spanish national team, only had a year left on his contract with Manchester City and didn’t want to extend it, City still insisted on a high price.
Rodri decided to join Barcelona instead of Real Madrid, partly because he wanted to play with several of his Spanish teammates already at the club, such as Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, and Pau Cubarsí.
Rodri spent seven successful seasons at Manchester City, winning 12 major trophies, including four Premier League titles. He also scored the winning goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final.
Manchester City wanted to keep their important midfielder, but with his contract set to expire in 2027, they decided to get the best possible price for him now and shift their attention to finding new midfield players before the transfer window closes.
Rodri is expected to arrive in Barcelona soon for his medical tests and to sign his contract. His official introduction is scheduled to happen before the Joan Gamper Trophy match.
