Barcelona are preparing to make a formal approach to Manchester City for the services of midfielder Rodri, and they are confident they can out‑maneuver their LaLiga rivals in securing the Spanish captain, according to sources at Sky Sports News. The World Cup‑winning Spain international, who currently captains his national side, is in the final year of his contract with City, making him a prime target for clubs looking to add a world‑class central midfielder to their ranks.
Both Spanish powerhouses have shown interest, but Barcelona appear to have received fresh encouragement that their chances of landing the player have improved in the last 24 hours. Real Madrid have already been in dialogue with City since last week and have indicated a willingness to meet a £50 million valuation for the midfielder.
Barcelona’s interest, however, has intensified recently, and they are reportedly preparing a bid that could rival or exceed Madrid’s offer. Manchester City, on the other hand, are reluctant to part with their key midfield anchor.
The club is reportedly hoping to persuade Rodri to sign a new long‑term contract that would keep him at the Etihad for several more seasons and allow him to spearhead the team’s transition under newly appointed manager Enzo Maresca. City’s hierarchy believes that retaining Rodri is essential for maintaining their competitive edge both domestically and in Europe. Rodri is currently on the recovery path after undergoing successful back surgery following the World Cup.
The operation means he will miss the upcoming Community Shield clash with Arsenal as well as the opening Premier League fixture of the new campaign. His absence will be felt, but the club’s medical team is optimistic about a full return later in the season.
In a parallel storyline, Real Madrid’s president Florentino Pérez has faced criticism after his re‑election for the limited number of Spanish players the club contributed to the World Cup squad. The criticism has added pressure on Madrid to act decisively in the transfer market, and they have already secured Marc Cucurella from Chelsea as the summer window opened. Sources suggest that the club’s board is now evaluating whether to increase their financial offer for Rodri in order to outbid Barcelona. Sky Sports analyst Jamie Carragher weighed in on the situation, stating: “£40‑50 million?
If you’re Manchester City, why would you sell him? You might as well keep him for another year. He’s arguably the best in that position in the Premier League, perhaps even the world.
After his World Cup performances, he looked like he was back to his absolute best. In the second half of the season he and Bernardo Silva were fantastic and almost carried City to the title. If I were City’s manager, I’d hold onto Rodri at that price.
It would take something extraordinary to convince me to let go of arguably the best midfield player on the planet.” Carragher also highlighted the difficulty City would face in the league without Rodri, noting that even with a deep midfield roster, his unique blend of defensive solidity and ball‑progression is unmatched. He added that the club’s recent signing, Elliot Anderson, could learn a great deal from Rodri, but would not be a direct replacement for the Spanish international. Laura Hunter of Sky Sports echoed the sentiment, calling Rodri "the most complete central midfielder to have operated in the Premier League over the past five years" and noting that Pep Guardiola has repeatedly described him as "the best midfielder in the world by far." Under Guardiola’s system, Rodri was the fulcrum of City’s in‑play strategy, dictating tempo, receiving the ball under pressure, and orchestrating attacks.
His ability to control games was a key factor in Spain’s triumph at the World Cup, and his absence was felt in City’s two seasons where injuries limited his involvement, coinciding with the club’s failure to retain the Premier League crown. The question now is how City might replace such a pivotal figure if he were to leave.
The club’s recent acquisition of Elliot Anderson, a 23‑year‑old English international, offers a potential long‑term solution. While Anderson is not yet the "dictator" that Rodri has been, his box‑to‑box energy and developing statistical output suggest he could evolve into a comparable player over time.
Nevertheless, the immediate gap left by Rodri would be substantial, and City would likely need to explore additional midfield options to maintain their competitive standards. In summary, the race for Rodri is heating up, with Barcelona and Real Madrid both prepared to meet substantial fees to secure the Spanish captain. Manchester City, however, are determined to keep their midfield lynchpin, hoping to persuade him to extend his stay and continue to build the squad around his unique skill set.
The coming weeks will reveal whether the Catalan club can outbid the Madrid side and whether City will ultimately retain their prized midfielder or be forced to negotiate a transfer that could reshape the balance of power in both LaLiga and the Premier League.