Rodri asks Manchester City to ease exit as Barcelona prepare €75m final offer

Barcelona are preparing a final offer for Manchester City midfielder Rodri after the Premier League club rejected a second bid worth €60m plus up to €10m in add-ons.

Manchester City are holding out for €80m before agreeing to sell the Spain international, despite Rodri having only one year remaining on his contract. The English club’s stance has remained firm since the player reached an agreement in principle with Barcelona.

The second Barcelona proposal, submitted with a €60m guaranteed fee and a further €10m in performance-related bonuses, was rejected late on Wednesday. However, negotiations remain active and neither side has ended discussions.

According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Barcelona are now working on a final package which could include a fixed fee of €65m and another €10m in variables. That additional amount would reportedly be split into €5m in bonuses considered relatively easy to achieve and a further €5m linked to more difficult conditions.

Barcelona believe the revised structure could be sufficient to persuade Manchester City to accept the transfer. The club are expected to present the proposal in the coming hours, with the aim of reaching an initial agreement before Rodri is due to return to Manchester City.

Rodri is expected to join up with the English club on Friday, but would prefer to travel directly to Barcelona instead. That will depend on whether the final and most difficult stage of negotiations can be completed in time.

The player’s position is regarded as an important factor in the talks. Rodri has asked Manchester City to make his departure easier because he wants to leave the Premier League, and Barcelona are counting on that pressure to help close the deal.

Manchester City have accepted that Rodri is likely to leave, although the club indicated during negotiations that it would be willing to keep him for the remaining year of his contract. That position is understood to have been used mainly as a negotiating tactic rather than reflecting the club’s actual plans.

The English side’s activity in the transfer market also points towards Rodri’s departure. Manchester City are negotiating for midfielders Ayoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez as they consider potential replacements for the Spain international.

The Times reports that Manchester City are also seeking to improve their financial position in line with Financial Fair Play rules. The club are therefore keen to complete a high-value sale, which would help balance their accounts and support a move for Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea.

Barcelona have already increased their offer significantly and the proposed €65m fee plus €10m in bonuses is understood to represent the maximum they are prepared to spend on the deal. The club have not been persuaded to meet Manchester City’s full €80m demand, particularly because much of that figure could depend on performance targets that would be difficult to achieve.

Rodri is aware of the considerable effort Barcelona are making to sign him and has shown flexibility over the personal terms of his proposed contract. He has agreed to give up some of the financial benefits he previously received in order to help the transfer move forward.

The midfielder’s decision is based on both sporting and personal considerations, and he is doing everything possible to ensure the move is completed. Barcelona acknowledge that the negotiations have proved more difficult than initially expected, but believe the gap between the clubs has narrowed sufficiently for an agreement to be reached at any time.