Rodri transfer: Barcelona and Manchester City haggle over deal worth up to €65m

Barcelona are working to complete the signing of Spain midfielder Rodri from Manchester City by Friday, but financial disagreements between the clubs have left the Catalan side facing a race against time.

The two clubs remain in contact and the differences are not considered insurmountable. However, the negotiations have lasted longer than Barcelona expected, with the Spanish club now attempting to reach an agreement within the next 48 hours.

People involved in the talks have started to question whether that timetable can be met. No Barcelona official or director is currently prepared to guarantee that the transfer will be completed within that period, raising the possibility that Rodri could return to Manchester City training before the move is finalised.

Rodri is due to report back to Manchester City on Friday.

According to Marca, Barcelona remain convinced that the 30-year-old will wear the club’s shirt during the 2026-27 season. Their confidence that the transfer will eventually be completed this week is said to be undiminished, despite the lack of agreement over the final financial details.

Barcelona reached a personal agreement with Rodri several days ago. The remaining obstacle is therefore a deal with Manchester City, with both sides attempting to narrow the gap between their respective demands.

Barcelona’s initial proposal was worth €50m. Manchester City rejected that offer and are understood to be seeking about €70m for the midfielder.

The current aim is to find a compromise in the region of €60m to €65m, including add-ons. Discussions are continuing over several aspects of the payment structure and the additional terms attached to the offer.

Barcelona have not ruled out reaching an agreement during the next 48 hours, although the club’s hierarchy increasingly views that deadline as extremely tight. The priority remains completing the transfer before Rodri is expected back at Manchester City.

Rodri, who was born in Madrid, has been aware of the details of the negotiations. He is likely to have to travel to Manchester, where Manchester City are based and where he has played since joining the club in 2019.

The Spanish midfielder is 30 and has one year remaining on his contract, although the source report refers to that agreement as being with Manchester United. The negotiations described in the report, however, are between Barcelona and Manchester City, Rodri’s current club.

For now, the transfer depends on whether Barcelona can satisfy Manchester City’s valuation while keeping the total cost within the range it considers acceptable. The clubs are still talking, but the planned Friday deadline is approaching with no final agreement in place.