The race to sign 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri could see major twists as Real Madrid are set to face major competition from archrivals Barcelona going into the final month of the transfer window while Manchester City face a desperate fight to keep hold of the star midfielder. The star defensive midfielder is yet to sign a new deal with the Citizens, with his current contract set to expire at the end of the 2026-27 season.
A report by The Athletic revealed that Rodri’s camp has held talks with Barcelona after weeks of rumors linking him to Madrid. With no deal agreed upon between the Los Blancos and the Spanish skipper, the Catalans have emerged as a top contender to sign him.
The published information states that Manchester City and Madrid are yet to agree on a fee for the player, but personal terms are not an issue. It is stated that Barcelona’s playing style and the possibility to reunite with eight members of Spain’s World Cup-winning side appeal to Rodri.
The same report claims that Barcelona are in the market for a midfielder due to Frankie de Jong’s injury, which is set to keep him out of action for a long time. However, the reigning La Liga winners will need to sell players to make room for the Manchester City star.
Furthermore, noted football journalist Fabrizio Romano has claimed that both Barcelona and Real Madrid are set to offer Manchester City a similar fee, and the final decision will come down to Rodri’s own preference.
Rodri further enriched his legacy after not just leading Spain to their second World Cup title but also winning the Golden Ball (Best Player of the Tournament) award in the campaign.
He has been at Manchester City since 2019 after joining from Atletico Madrid and played a key role in the club winning the Champions League as well as four Premier League titles. In fact, he scored the winning goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan, which was the Citizens’ first and, to date, only triumph in Europe’s premier club competition.
Rodri had also captained Spain to the 2024 UEFA Euros title and won the Player of the Tournament (POTM) award.