Rodri stance gives Manchester City upper hand in Barcelona negotiations

The proposed transfer of Manchester City midfielder Rodri to Barcelona has reached a critical stage, but the Spain international will not push to leave if the Catalan club fails to meet his current club’s asking price.

Manchester City have rejected Barcelona’s latest offers because they believe the sums proposed remain below their valuation of the player. That stance could prolong negotiations beyond the timeframe initially expected.

Rodri is understood to remain interested in exploring a return to La Liga and would like the opportunity to join Barcelona. However, he has also made clear that he will respect Manchester City’s position and will not attempt to force an exit.

According to Sport, citing Sky Sports, Rodri is not prepared to damage his relationship with Manchester City in an effort to accelerate the transfer.

Sky Sports reports that Rodri has told Manchester City he will remain at the club if Barcelona do not pay the fee demanded by the English side. In that situation, he would complete the remaining 12 months of his contract rather than put pressure on the club to approve his departure.

That information represents a significant change in the picture surrounding the negotiations, with Rodri now appearing more measured than he had seemed in recent hours.

The midfielder remains keen to investigate the possibility of leaving Manchester City and returning to Spanish football. At the same time, he understands that any move must take place on terms acceptable to the club he currently represents.

Rodri is said to maintain a relationship with Manchester City based on mutual respect. He accepts that, if the two clubs cannot reach a financial agreement, he will have to stay in England for another season.

Should that happen, his commitment to Manchester City would not change. He would continue to give his maximum for the team managed by Enzo Maresca.

The position is therefore straightforward: Rodri wants the chance to transfer to Barcelona, but he will not force Manchester City to let him go if the clubs fail to agree a fee.

Sky Sports also revealed that Manchester City have turned down a new Barcelona proposal for the midfielder.

The second offer from the Catalan club was worth about 65m euros, after Manchester City had already rejected an initial bid of approximately 45m euros.

However, the broadcaster said Manchester City could reconsider their position if Barcelona increase their offer by a further 5m euros. Such an improvement could allow the two clubs to bridge the remaining gap and reach an agreement.

Despite the latest information from Sky Sports, Barcelona continue to view the transfer positively. The club accepts that a difference in valuation remains, but believes the gap has narrowed sufficiently to maintain confidence that a deal can still be completed.

For now, the negotiations depend on whether Barcelona are willing to make one final financial effort and whether Manchester City decide that the revised figure meets their expectations. Rodri’s stance gives the English club greater control over the process, while leaving the door open to a move to Barcelona if the required conditions are met.