Barcelona agree stunning £65 million deal to sign Man City midfielder Rodri
Rodri seals Barcelona switch
Barcelona have agreed a £65 million deal to sign Rodri from Manchester City. According to BBC Sport, the transfer will see Rodri sign a four-year contract with the Spanish champions, and the move is expected to be completed in the coming days.
Rodri leaves Manchester City after an incredible seven seasons, having originally joined from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for £62.8m. During his time at Manchester City, Rodri won 12 major honours, which include four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups, and the Champions League. Despite missing a large portion of last season due to a serious knee injury, Rodri bounced back brilliantly this summer to lead Spain to World Cup glory.
Manchester City target Fernandez
With Rodri departing, Manchester City want to sign Enzo Fernandez as a replacement. Chelsea have demanded a staggering £120m for Fernandez and informed interested parties that they had until Friday to submit an official offer. Chelsea did not receive any bids before the deadline passed, meaning Xabi Alonso and his coaching staff hope to retain their vice-captain.
However, Manchester City do not believe the pursuit is completely over, as they still feel Chelsea are open to negotiating a transfer. If Manchester City decide to match the £120m asking price, it would become the fourth-biggest transfer in football history. The Manchester City hierarchy are weighing up their options carefully as they look to rebuild their midfield.
Maresca plots tactical shift
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca remains a huge admirer of Fernandez, having previously managed him at Stamford Bridge. During his tenure at Chelsea, Maresca appointed Fernandez as captain when Reece James suffered an injury, and he selected Fernandez in 79 of his 92 games in charge.
Although Fernandez operates primarily as a defensive midfielder, Maresca pushed him further forward on numerous occasions last season to cover for the injured Cole Palmer. This tactical adjustment resulted in Fernandez scoring a career-best 15 goals. With Elliot Anderson also joining Manchester City from Nottingham Forest this summer, Maresca will have incredible tactical flexibility, as Anderson and Fernandez could easily feature together in the same starting lineup.
What next for the clubs?
Barcelona will focus on officially unveiling Rodri in the coming days as they prepare for the new season. Meanwhile, Man City must quickly decide whether to submit a formal bid for Fernandez or explore alternative midfield options. It remains to be seen if Chelsea will stand firm on their £120m valuation or eventually compromise to finalise the transfer.
