Rodri undergoes Barcelona medical after Real Madrid offer falls short

Rodri is undergoing a medical with Barcelona as new details emerge about Real Madrid’s unsuccessful attempt to sign the Manchester City midfielder.

The Spain captain had been a target for Real Madrid for several weeks, but has ultimately chosen to join their La Liga rivals. Barcelona are understood to have agreed the financial terms of the proposed transfer, with an official announcement now the only remaining step.

Reports in Spain say Barcelona will pay Manchester City an initial €60m for Rodri, with a further €11m available in add-ons. The overall package would therefore rise to €71m if all the additional conditions are met.

However, Spanish television programme El Chiringuito reports that Real Madrid’s opening offer for the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner was below €40m. That proposal was made to Manchester City as the Spanish club explored the possibility of bringing Rodri to the Santiago Bernabeu.

The figure was said to be considerably lower than Manchester City’s valuation of the player. Barcelona, by contrast, showed a much stronger desire to complete the deal and were prepared to offer significantly more to secure his signing.

The report was presented by El Chiringuito, which attributed the information to journalist Juanfe Sanz Perez. Its on-screen claim read: “El REAL MADRID ofrecio MENOS de 40 MILLONES por RODRI”.

Rodri’s medical with Barcelona indicates that negotiations between the Catalan club and Manchester City have progressed to an advanced stage. The move is not yet described as officially complete in the available reports, with confirmation still expected after the final formalities.

The midfielder has been at the centre of attention after winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or, an award that recognised his performances for Manchester City and Spain. His expected move to Barcelona would bring an end to Real Madrid’s recent interest and see him remain in Spain, but with one of the club’s main domestic rivals.

Real Madrid’s reported offer and Barcelona’s agreed package underline the different approaches taken by the two clubs during the pursuit. While Real Madrid’s initial proposal was below €40m, Barcelona’s deal includes a guaranteed €60m payment and a possible €11m in additional fees.

Until the transfer is formally announced, the medical and financial agreement remain the latest stages of the proposed move. For now, the available information points to Rodri joining Barcelona after Real Madrid failed to match Manchester City’s expectations for the Spain international.