Barcelona just locked down Spain captain Rodri in a monster £65 million deal from Manchester City, a move that’s shaking up the European football scene big time. This isn’t just another transfer, folks. The 30-year-old, who even snagged the Ballon d’Or in 2024, is set to ink a four-year deal with the Spanish champs, and it’s expected to finalize any day now. After seven trophy-laden seasons at City, Rodri is heading for a new chapter, leaving a massive hole in Pep’s former squad.
City’s Midfield Maestro Is Gone: What He Leaves Behind
Think about Rodri’s run at City: 298 appearances since joining from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for what was then a club record £62.8 million. The dude was a machine, right? Even with a serious knee injury that sidelined him for much of the 2024-25 campaign and a hamstring issue last season, he bounced back to his absolute best, captaining Spain to their second World Cup title this summer and being named player of the tournament. He’s leaving with 12 major honors under his belt, including four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups, and the Champions League in 2022-23. Remember how last week City flat-out rejected Barca’s opening bid of £38.5 million? It looked like Real Madrid was the frontrunner, but Barcelona clearly pulled out all the stops for a player who was entering the final year of his contract. New City boss Enzo Maresca even said after the Community Shield loss to Arsenal, “Rodri is a player who just won the World Cup and Ballon d’Or. He’s a top player, all the teams need a Rodri, so it’s not about if we miss Rodri or not.” But come on, you don’t just replace a talent like that and not feel it.
Who Steps Up? The Hunt For A New Conductor
So, with Rodri gone, who’s going to fill those massive shoes in City’s midfield? There’s been a ton of chatter all summer about 18-year-old Moroccan sensation Ayyoub Bouaddi. City’s reportedly held talks, and the kid, who impressed at the World Cup and starred in Lille’s 2024 Champions League victory over Real Madrid, seems keen on the move. He’s a deep-lying conductor, just like Rodri, and with 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season, he’s got experience beyond his years. He’d slot in nicely with summer signing Elliot Anderson, a box-to-box midfielder, and the Abu Dhabi-owned club already signed England midfielder Anderson from Nottingham Forest this summer, giving Maresca some flexibility. But it’s not just Rodri they’re replacing; Bernardo Silva is also gone.
City’s also been eyeing Chelsea’s 25-year-old Argentine, Enzo Fernandez, for a while now. Even though Chelsea wanted a whopping £120 million for him and no bids came in by their Friday deadline, City apparently thinks the deal isn’t dead yet. Maresca knows Fernandez well, having made him Chelsea captain and playing him in 79 of his 92 games in charge there. Fernandez is usually a defensive midfielder, but Maresca pushed him further forward when Cole Palmer was injured last season, and he racked up a career-best 15 goals. That kind of versatility means Fernandez could fit into several spots if City can make it happen. Can Anderson and Fernandez play together? The source says yes, so maybe that’s the combo Maresca is hoping for. The next few weeks are going to be wild as City tries to sort out their midfield.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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