Rodri leaves Manchester City for Barcelona in £65.4m midfield coup

Barcelona have completed the signing of Rodri from Manchester City on a contract running until 30 June 2030, bringing the Spain international’s trophy-filled six-year spell in England to an end.

The LaLiga champions announced the deal on Tuesday, with the midfielder joining Hansi Flick’s side for a reported fee of 65.4m (R1.4bn). Barcelona have beaten arch-rivals Real Madrid to the 30-year-old’s signature in a major coup for the Catalan club.

Rodri’s existing Manchester City contract was due to run until June 2027.

“FC Barcelona and Manchester City have reached an agreement for the transfer of Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante, known in the football world as Rodri, who is committing to the Catalan club until 30 June 2030,” Barca said in a statement.

The move brings to a close an outstanding spell at City, where Rodri became one of the defining midfielders of the Premier League era under manager Pep Guardiola.

He joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and made 298 appearances for the club, scoring 28 goals. During that time, he helped the club win 14 major trophies, including four Premier League titles, the Champions League and two FA Cups.

Rodri played a central role in Manchester City’s continental treble during the 2022-23 season and was also part of the side that made history by becoming the first men’s top-flight club in English football to win four consecutive Premier League titles.

His individual standing grew alongside those team achievements. Rodri won the 2024 Ballon d’Or and was a member of Spain’s European Championship-winning squad. Last month, he captained his country to World Cup glory and was named the tournament’s best player.

The latter stages of his City career were interrupted by injury. He missed more than seven months after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury in 2024 and also experienced knee and hamstring problems last season.

Rodri has now joined Barcelona after undergoing minor back surgery. The procedure was expected to rule him out at the start of the season, although the midfielder said he was optimistic about returning quickly.

“I’m ready to go,” Rodri said. “The surgery everyone was talking about was no big deal it was just an outpatient procedure.

“I’m ready to train with the team, and when the coach thinks it’s time once I’ve gotten back into the swing of things – I’ll be ready to play. I hope that’s as soon as possible.”

Before leaving Manchester City, Rodri issued an extended farewell message to the club’s supporters and reflected on the scale of what they had achieved together.

“I knew I came into a top team but I never thought we could be able to create the legacy we made winning trophies, fans around the world, love and respect,” he wrote.

“We made an example to inspire the next generations not only because the success, also because the way we did it. And the fans were with us every step of the way…

“Making history, with the treble, with four in a row. We saw things they’ll never see… It’s time to say goodbye, thanks to the club, the fans, the staff and my teammates. This journey couldn’t be the same without you, my heart will always be Blue.”

At Barcelona, Rodri will aim to help the club secure a third successive LaLiga title.