Manchester City remain determined to keep Rodri despite growing interest from Barcelona, but the club could consider his departure if talks over a new contract break down.
The Spain midfielder’s current deal runs until 2027, and City are understood to have no desire to sell one of the most important players in their squad. However, reports suggest the club may be forced to open negotiations if Rodri makes clear that he wants to leave.
Rodri has become one of the main figures in this summer’s transfer market after Barcelona moved from monitoring the situation to making a direct attempt to sign him. The Catalan club has taken advantage of stalled discussions between Rodri and Real Madrid, who had previously been considered the leading contenders for his signature.
According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, English media outlets, particularly those based in Manchester, regard Rodri’s possible departure as a major blow to City. He is viewed as a central part of the team’s structure and one of the best midfielders in the world, as well as a player with a decisive influence on the side.
Manchester Evening News reports that City are not currently considering selling Rodri and would only contemplate such a move if an agreement over a contract extension could not be reached. The club’s priority remains persuading him to stay and commit his future to the team.
Rodri is still regarded as an indispensable part of manager Enzo Maresca’s plans. Nevertheless, other reports suggest City could set a fee of about £60m, approximately €70m, if the player insists on leaving and the club has to negotiate his transfer.
English outlets including The Guardian, talkSPORT and Sky Sports have highlighted Barcelona’s strong interest. Their reports say Barcelona have taken advantage of the impasse affecting Rodri’s discussions with Real Madrid.
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco are said to have contacted Rodri in an effort to convince him to move to the Catalan club. Barcelona are now considered serious rivals to Real Madrid, who had appeared closest to completing the deal.
Rodri is believed to be keen on returning to Spain after several years at Manchester City. talkSPORT described the latest development with the headline: “Rodri’s move to Real Madrid in danger as rival attempts to hijack deal”, reflecting Barcelona’s increased involvement in the negotiations.
Despite City’s desire to retain him, Manchester Evening News says the club has begun assessing possible replacements in case Rodri does leave. Boubou Boadi and Elliott Anderson are among the names on the list, alongside Mateo Kovacic and Nico Gonzalez.
City’s preferred outcome remains Rodri staying, because the club believes his role and influence would be extremely difficult to replace. The transfer market is expected to become an option only if his departure becomes unavoidable.
Sky Sports has taken a more cautious view, reporting that Barcelona’s interest is genuine but stressing that City are still working to keep Rodri. The final decision, it says, will ultimately rest with the player.
Losing Rodri would represent one of the biggest sporting challenges Enzo Maresca could face since taking charge, given the difficulty of finding a midfielder capable of filling his position and matching his impact.
BBC Sport has not suggested that a deal is close to being completed and has noted that Rodri previously indicated he wanted to decide his future after the World Cup. Sky Sports News has also described him as potentially the most difficult player in the City squad to replace, helping explain why the club remains so firmly opposed to his departure.
