Barcelona face €80m hurdle in Rodri talks after third bid rejected

Barcelona have seen a third offer for Manchester City midfielder Rodri turned down, with the Premier League club continuing to demand €80m for the Spain international.

Negotiations between the two clubs remain ongoing, but Manchester City have rejected each of Barcelona’s three proposals so far, according to French broadcaster RMC. The English club is maintaining its valuation and is unwilling to consider a deal for a lower amount.

Talks began more than a week ago after Rodri identified Barcelona as his preferred destination, ahead of Real Madrid. The midfielder’s preference has encouraged the Catalan club to pursue an agreement, although Manchester City’s stance has made the transfer increasingly difficult to complete.

Manchester City had initially considered extending Rodri’s contract. However, the club ultimately decided to respect the player’s wishes while making clear that it would not allow him to leave without securing a substantial fee.

The Premier League club set its asking price at €80m and has consistently rejected the possibility of selling Rodri for less.

Barcelona opened negotiations with an offer worth about €50m, but Manchester City quickly dismissed that proposal. The Spanish club then improved its bid to approximately €70m, only for it to be rejected again because the English side believed the amount remained well below its financial demands.

Despite the setbacks, Barcelona returned with a third offer in an attempt to reach an agreement. Manchester City rejected that proposal as well, according to RMC, leaving the two clubs still apart over the value of the transfer.

The decision now rests with the La Liga champions, who will need to move closer to the €80m figure if they are to complete a deal for Rodri. The negotiations are already proving complicated, in a situation comparable to Barcelona’s discussions over Julian Alvarez, the Atletico de Madrid striker.

Barcelona must therefore decide whether to raise its offer significantly or end its pursuit of Rodri. Manchester City’s position has remained unchanged throughout the talks: the club is prepared to respect the midfielder’s desire for a move, but only if its valuation is met.

Rodri’s preference for Barcelona has placed the club in a stronger position in terms of the player’s intentions, but it has not reduced Manchester City’s financial demands. With the third proposal now rejected, Barcelona face the task of bridging the remaining gap before the transfer can be concluded.