Former Arsenal Tula coach Igor Semshov has revealed that he wanted to bring Manchester City midfielder Rodri to the Russian club after first identifying the Spain international during a period working in Spain.
Semshov said he watched several matches in Spain while he was part of Arsenal Tula between 2017 and 2020. During that time, he took note of Rodri and considered the possibility of inviting the midfielder to join his club.
The revelation comes as Barcelona negotiate with Manchester City over a potential transfer for Rodri. Barcelona are confident they can sign the player, according to the information in the original report.
Semshov, who previously managed Arsenal Tula, described how his work at the club led him to look closely at players in Spain. Among those he watched was Rodri, who later established himself at Manchester City and with the Spain national team.
The former coach’s account places his interest in Rodri during his Arsenal Tula tenure, which ran from 2017 to 2020. He said his visits to matches in Spain were part of his efforts to assess players and identify possible targets for the Russian side.
At that stage, Semshov wanted to bring Rodri to Arsenal Tula. The report does not provide further details about whether a formal offer was made, whether direct negotiations took place or why the move did not happen.
Rodri is now at the centre of Barcelona’s interest. The Catalan club are in discussions with Manchester City about a transfer and are confident that an agreement can be reached to sign the midfielder.
The current negotiations give fresh significance to Semshov’s account of having followed Rodri during his time at Arsenal Tula. His story recalls a period when the player had come to the attention of the Russian club, before Barcelona later identified him as a target.
No details have been given about the proposed terms of Barcelona’s negotiations with Manchester City. The report also does not state whether the English club have accepted the possibility of selling Rodri or whether a transfer has been agreed.
For now, the confirmed developments are that Barcelona are negotiating with Manchester City for Rodri and believe they can complete his signing. Semshov’s comments provide the background to his own earlier attempt to take the Spain midfielder to Russian football while he was working at Arsenal Tula.
