Barcelona make third offer to Manchester City for Rodri in bid to seal deal

Barcelona have submitted a third offer to Manchester City for captain Rodri, with the proposal understood to be worth £60m or more, according to British broadcaster TalkSPORT.

The Catalan club are reportedly close to completing the transfer in the coming hours or days and want the deal concluded quickly so Rodri can feature in the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Al Ahly.

Barcelona’s final pre-season fixture is scheduled for next Wednesday at Camp Nou, where they will face Al Ahly before beginning their La Liga campaign.

Rodri travelled on Friday to join Manchester City’s training camp and prepare for the new season. His immediate future remains the subject of interest, with Barcelona now having made their third formal approach for the midfielder.

The Spain international played at the 2026 World Cup and helped his country win the tournament for only the second time in their history. Rodri was one of the leading figures in Spain’s success and is widely regarded as one of the best midfielders in world football.

Since joining Manchester City in 2019, he has played a major role in the club’s success, including their Champions League and Premier League triumphs. He has made 298 appearances for the club, scoring 28 goals and providing 32 assists.

Barcelona have played four pre-season matches so far, with two more fixtures remaining before the new campaign begins.

They opened their preparations with a 4-1 victory over Europa before drawing 2-2 with Birmingham City. Barcelona then won the latter match 3-2 on penalties.

In a three-team tournament featuring one half per match, Barcelona beat Nottingham Forest 1-0 but lost 1-0 to Udinese.

The Joan Gamper Trophy meeting with Al Ahly at Camp Nou will bring their preparations to a close. Barcelona are hoping to have Rodri available for the fixture should they complete the transfer in time.

Barcelona finished as La Liga champions in each of the past two seasons, ending both campaigns above Real Madrid in the table.

Their first league match of the current season was postponed because the club had the largest number of players involved in the latter stages of the 2026 World Cup. As a result, Barcelona will begin their campaign in the second round, against Elche on Sunday, 23 August.

Their rearranged opening-round fixture will then take place on Thursday, 27 August, when Barcelona host Athletic Club at Camp Nou.