Manchester City believe Barcelona’s proposal falls well short of their valuation of the Spain international and are not prepared to begin serious negotiations on those terms.
Rodri’s future has therefore become the central issue in the early stages of discussions between the two clubs. Barcelona have indicated their willingness to pay around €45m for the 30-year-old, with additional payments potentially taking the overall value higher through bonuses.
However, Manchester City’s expectation is that any agreement for the midfielder should be worth approximately €80m. The English club considers the current offer insufficient and does not intend to engage in substantive negotiations unless Barcelona’s proposal moves closer to that figure.
The difference between the two valuations is significant. Barcelona’s initial offer is around €35m below Manchester City’s asking price before bonuses are taken into account, leaving the Catalan club facing the prospect of improving its terms if it wants to advance the transfer.
Rodri remains under contract at Manchester City until the summer of 2027. Despite that, the player has not so far shown a desire to extend his existing agreement, which adds an important element to the uncertainty surrounding his position at the club.
Manchester City’s valuation reflects the fact that Rodri still has a year remaining on his current contract beyond the present summer. Barcelona’s offer, meanwhile, represents the Catalan club’s current assessment of what it is prepared to pay for the Spain midfielder.
There has been no indication that Manchester City are ready to lower their demands. Their stance is that an offer which does not match their expectations cannot form the basis for serious talks over Rodri’s transfer.
Rodri’s immediate availability is also affected by his international commitments and subsequent recovery. In the summer of 2026, he helped Spain win the World Cup before undergoing a minor operation on his back after the tournament.
He is expected to return to training before the end of August. Until then, his involvement in preparations will be limited while he completes his recovery from the procedure.
The timing of his return will be monitored as the two clubs consider the proposed transfer. For now, Barcelona have made the first known move with an offer of about €45m plus bonuses, while Manchester City continue to value Rodri at roughly €80m and remain unwilling to start serious negotiations at the lower figure.
With Rodri’s contract running until 2027 and no demonstrated desire from the player to sign an extension, the midfielder’s situation remains unresolved. Barcelona’s interest has established the outline of a possible deal, but the financial gap between the offer and Manchester City’s valuation is currently the main obstacle.
