Manchester City slammed the door shut on Barcelona’s opening £38.5m bid for midfielder Rodri, making it crystal clear they want north of £60m for their 2024 Ballon d’Or winner. This isn’t just about money, it’s about a superstar making a shocking decision and City playing hardball in the transfer market.
Ballon d’Or Winner Makes His Choice: Bye Bye, Real Madrid!
Rodri, at 30 years old, is staring down the final year of his contract with City, and there’s no new deal on the table. For a while, it seemed like Real Madrid was his next stop, but plot twist: Barcelona is now leading the race, and Rodri himself has approved their move to open negotiations with City. Barcelona’s initial offer came in on Friday, and sources say talks between Rodri’s camp and Real Madrid have officially ended.
His agent, Pablo Barquero, spilled the tea to Cadena Ser, confirming Real Madrid actually put an “irresistible” offer on the table right after Spain’s World Cup triumph. Everyone at Real, from president Florentino Perez to CEO Jose Angel Sanchez, reportedly worked hard to get him, showing “courtesy, class and respect.” But despite two weeks of positive chats, Rodri made a personal decision to accept another offer. Real Madrid was informed Friday and chose to walk away, keeping it classy, avoiding any drawn out drama. Talk about a turn of events!
City’s Big Ask and the Hunt for a New Midfielder
City is open to letting Rodri go, but they are not budging on that £60m+ price tag. You can see why they’re holding out for serious cash, even with his recent injury history. Rodri missed a huge chunk of the 2024-25 campaign with a serious knee injury, and then a hamstring issue messed with parts of last season. But listen, the dude was back to his absolute best at the World Cup this summer, leading Spain to their second title and snatching Player of the Tournament honors. He’s currently recovering from back surgery last month but is set to rejoin his City teammates next week.
With the transfer window already into its second week of August, City wants to get Rodri’s future sorted out fast so they can bring in a replacement. They’re in talks for 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille, but there’s another hefty price tag to consider: Lille is asking for an eye-watering £86m. That’s a serious sticking point!
City needs to move fast. They’ve got a replacement target in Bouaddi, but Lille is playing hardball with that £86m asking price. What happens next with Rodri’s sale and City’s pursuit of a new talent could totally shake up their midfield for the season. This transfer saga is far from over, and it’s going to be wild to watch unfold!
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.
Leave a Reply