Manchester City reject Barcelona bid for Rodri, say reports

Manchester City have reportedly rejected an opening bid of £38.5 million ($52 million) from Barcelona for World Cup winner Rodri.

The 30-year-old has just one season remaining on his deal at the Etihad Stadium and has been strongly linked with a return to his native Spain.

City are understood to want about £68 million for Rodri, who was named player of the tournament at the recent World Cup in North America.

Real Madrid had appeared likely to be Rodri’s next club, but La Liga rivals Barcelona now seem to be in pole position.

Rodri joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and won multiple Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League under former boss Pep Guardiola.

He won Euro 2024 and that year’s Ballon d’Or before a serious knee injury ruled him out of much of the 2024/25 campaign.

Widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world, he is known for his passing, composure, playmaking and physical attributes.

He is one of eleven players to have won the FIFA World Cup, UEFA Champions League, and Ballon d’Or in their career, and the only to win FIFA World Cup, FIFA Club World Cup, UEFA European Championship, UEFA Nations League, UEFA Champions League and the Best Player Award of each tournament.

Rodri began his senior career with Villarreal, progressing through the club’s academy before making his first-team debut in December 2015.

In 2018, he joined Atletico Madrid, where he established himself as a promising midfielder and won the UEFA Super Cup in 2018. His performances earned him interest from Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola. After a single season at Atletico, he signed for City in 2019 for £62.6 million, a then-record fee for a Spanish player.

At City, Rodri developed into a centrepiece of Guardiola’s team. He played a decisive role in the club’s domestic dominance, winning four consecutive Premier League titles and completing the continental treble in 2022–23.

Rodri scored the only goal in the 2023 UEFA Champions League final against Inter Milan, as City won their first Champions League title; he was awarded the UEFA Champions League Player of the Season. He also scored in the 2023 FIFA Club World Cup final as City claimed the title for the first time.

During the 2023–24 season, he helped the club win an unprecedented fourth consecutive Premier League title.

Meanwhile, James Trafford said he does not care if he has a ‘point to prove’ after joining Leeds from City in a move that makes him the most expensive British goalkeeper in history.

The England player, who signed a deal reportedly worth up to £45 million ($61 million), said he was looking forward to a fresh challenge.

Agencies