Barcelona reach agreement with Man City to sign Rodri

Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle with Manchester City to sign Spain captain Rodri in a package worth up to €76.5million (£65.3m).

They will pay €60m (£51.2m) up front, with a further €16.5m potentially due through performance-related add-ons.

More than €11m of those bonuses are considered realistically achievable, meaning City expect to eventually receive at least €71.5m for the midfielder.

Personal terms are not expected to present an obstacle, with Barcelona proposing a four-year contract for the 30-year-old following his return from Spain’s successful World Cup campaign.

Rodri had entered the final year of his City contract and showed little indication that he intended to extend his stay, strengthening Barcelona’s position during negotiations.

The agreement represents a significant change from earlier this week, when City rejected Barcelona’s second offer of around €60m.

Barcelona initially offered approximately €45m before returning with the improved proposal, while Rodri’s preference for a move to the Camp Nou had increasingly made a departure likely.

Real Madrid had also explored the possibility of signing the midfielder, but Barcelona emerged as his preferred destination.

The move would give manager Hansi Flick one of Europe’s leading holding midfielders and provide an experienced addition to a squad already containing several of Rodri’s international teammates.

Rodri captained Spain to World Cup glory and was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament’s outstanding player this summer.

His arrival would also strengthen Barcelona’s midfield following the serious knee injury suffered by Frenkie de Jong.

The agreement brings Rodri’s hugely successful seven-year spell in Manchester close to its conclusion.

The former Atletico Madrid midfielder joined City in 2019 and has since made 298 appearances, bagging 28 goals and 32 assists.

His trophy collection includes four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the Champions League, where he scored the winner against Inter Milan in the 2023 final.

City have already begun reshaping their midfield under Enzo Maresca, spending £116m to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and pursuing Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi.

They had also identified Enzo Fernandez as a potential replacement, although Chelsea now expect him to remain after City declined to meet their £120m valuation before Friday’s deadline.