New development: Rodri in direct contact with Barcelona

Rodri, the Manchester City star, is now closer than ever to becoming a new player in the ranks of Barcelona.

According to "Sport", negotiations are progressing between the Catalan club and Manchester City after Barcelona tabled a third offer for the Spain international.

There's another factor pushing the deal towards completion as the two clubs edge closer together: the world champion wants the move to Barça done, and done now.

Transfer expert Fabrizio Romano says Rodri is in almost daily contact with several of his Spain team-mates who play for Barcelona, swapping messages that leave no doubt about how badly he wants to seal his transfer.

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner enjoys a very special relationship with them. That personal link was one of the factors behind his decision to back Barcelona's project.

None of this is a small thing. Rodri knows Barcelona's dressing room well, sharing the Spain national team with a large chunk of the side's core: Eric García, Dani Olmo, Pau Cubarsí, Lamine Yamal, Joan García, Gavi, Pedri and Fermín López.