Barcelona are nearing an agreement to sign Spain midfielder Rodri Hernandez from Manchester City, with the transfer now understood to be close to completion. The proposed deal includes a fixed fee and variable payments, although a number of outstanding details must still be settled before the move can be formally announced in the coming days.
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona have significantly reduced the sizeable difference between Manchester City’s financial demands and the Catalan club’s initial offer. The two clubs are now close to finalising the structure of the agreement, while a full deal with the 30-year-old midfielder was reached several days ago.
Rodri has only one year remaining on his Manchester City contract, a factor that has helped Barcelona make progress in negotiations. The clubs are expected to exchange the documents required to complete the transfer once the remaining technical points concerning the financial arrangements have been approved.
That process could allow Rodri to join Barcelona as early as the beginning of this week, although the transfer is not yet officially complete.
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick is keen to secure the midfielder’s arrival as quickly as possible. His urgency comes as he prepares for the opening match of the La Liga season, which is scheduled to take place in two weeks.
Flick wants to establish as soon as possible which players will be available to him throughout the campaign and begin shaping his preferred team before competitive football starts. The transfer window remains open until 31 August, but the Barcelona manager regards the completion of urgent deals as a priority.
The latest developments are at odds with comments from Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca, who indicated that Rodri was expected to report for pre-season training with the English club next Friday. Despite that expectation, the direction of the negotiations now suggests the player is on course to move to Catalonia instead.
Rodri’s position has changed considerably during the transfer window. Barcelona was not his preferred destination at the start of the summer, nor immediately after the end of the World Cup. His doubts over a move to Real Madrid, combined with the fact that a near-final agreement with the Spanish club had never been formally activated, played a decisive role in altering his plans.
Barcelona are hopeful that Rodri can join the club’s other world champions at around the same time. Those players are due to return to training next Wednesday after being granted extended holidays following their involvement in the World Cup.
Flick believes having Rodri available during that period would give him a better opportunity to develop his starting line-up and prepare the squad for the new season. The midfielder’s arrival would also bring the transfer closer to resolution at a time when Barcelona are attempting to finalise their squad before the campaign begins.
