Manchester City have rejected a third offer from Barcelona for Spain midfielder Rodri, with the Premier League club continuing to demand a fee of 80m euros for the player.
Negotiations between the two clubs remain ongoing, but Manchester City have made it clear they will not consider allowing Rodri to leave for less than their valuation, according to French outlet RMC Sport.
Talks began more than a week ago after Rodri made Barcelona his preferred destination. The midfielder’s preference reportedly places the Catalan club ahead of Real Madrid in his thinking.
Barcelona have already made three attempts to reach an agreement. Their opening proposal was worth about 50m euros, but Manchester City rejected it promptly.
The La Liga champions then improved their offer to approximately 70m euros. That bid was also turned down, with Manchester City deciding the proposed fee was still too far below the amount they want.
Barcelona returned with a third offer in an effort to move the deal towards a conclusion, but the latest proposal has again been rejected by the English club, RMC Sport reports. The value of that third bid has not been stated.
Manchester City originally considered extending Rodri’s contract, but the club eventually chose to respect the player’s wishes. That decision has not changed their position on the transfer fee, however, and they do not intend to make his departure straightforward.
The Manchester club’s stance is that 80m euros represents the required price for Rodri and that they will not accept a lower figure. As a result, Barcelona must move closer to that valuation if they are to complete the signing.
The negotiations are now in the hands of Barcelona, who will have to decide whether to raise their offer significantly. The club’s pursuit of Rodri has become increasingly difficult, with Manchester City holding firm after rejecting each of the three proposals submitted so far.
The situation has similarities to Barcelona’s negotiations over Julian Alvarez, the Atletico de Madrid striker, which also proved complicated. In Rodri’s case, Manchester City’s refusal to reduce their demands has left the transfer dependent on whether Barcelona can approach the 80m-euro figure.
Rodri remains the player Barcelona want to sign, having placed the club above Real Madrid as his favoured option. But until the Spanish side improves its latest offer, Manchester City’s position means there is no agreement in place.
