Manchester City have once again turned down a fresh approach from Barcelona for their midfield lynchpin Rodri, signaling that the English club still values the Spanish captain highly and is not willing to part with him for the sum on the table. The latest proposal from the Catalan side amounts to roughly £55 million, a figure that sits comfortably between the earlier rejected bid of around £40 million and the club's own asking price, which is believed to be in excess of £60 million. Despite the increase, City’s hierarchy remains unconvinced and has communicated that the offer does not meet their valuation. The saga began last week when Barcelona initially tabled a deal in the region of £40 million for the 30‑year‑old midfielder.
That offer was swiftly dismissed, prompting the Spanish giants to reassess and reportedly come back with a more aggressive package, estimated by Sky Sports News to be somewhere between £50 million and £60 million. Even with this upward adjustment, the bid falls short of Manchester City’s expectations, and the club has reiterated that they are prepared to hold out for a higher price or, alternatively, negotiate a new contract with the player.
Rodri, who captained Spain to World Cup glory and has been a cornerstone of Pep Guardiola’s side since his arrival, is now in the final year of his contract with City. The club’s public stance, as reported earlier this summer, is that they do not wish to sell their world‑class midfielder.
Instead, they are keen to secure a fresh deal that would keep him at the Etihad for the foreseeable future. However, the club has also made it clear that if Rodri were to submit a formal request to leave, they would not stand in his way, respecting the player’s wishes. Meanwhile, Manchester City have confirmed the sale of Dutch midfielder Tijjani Reijnders to Saudi Arabian club Al Qadsiah for a fee reported to be around £51 million. Reijnders, who arrived from AC Milan in the summer of 2023, has expressed a desire to move on, and the Saudi Pro League appears to be his next destination.
This transaction adds another high‑profile name to City’s summer exit list, which already includes the departure of James Trafford and a modest fee for Nathan Ake’s move to Turkey. The simultaneous departure of two central midfielders – Rodri and Reijnders – could potentially leave a noticeable gap in City’s engine room. Yet, the club appears to be preparing for that eventuality by targeting replacements.
Interest has been reported in Enzo Fernández, the Argentine playmaker who impressed at Benfica, and Ayyoub Bouaddi, the promising French talent currently with Lille. Chelsea have reportedly set a deadline of Friday 5 p.m. for City to submit a £120 million bid for Fernández, while negotiations continue regarding Bouaddi. James Savundra of Sky Sports News provided context on the financial implications of the Reijnders deal.
He noted that the sale, combined with other outgoing transfers, means City could be bringing in over £100 million this window. "If they do get big money for Rodri, you match up £70 million with £50 million and that gets you to £120 million – which is what Chelsea want for Enzo Fernández," Savundra explained, highlighting how the inflow of funds could bolster City’s bargaining position in the market. In summary, Manchester City have firmly rejected Barcelona’s latest £55 million overture for Rodri, maintaining a stance that the club’s valuation sits higher than the Catalan side’s willingness to pay.
At the same time, the club has secured a substantial fee for Reijnders’ move to Al Qadsiah, adding financial flexibility that could be deployed to acquire new midfield talent. The upcoming weeks will be crucial as City navigates contract negotiations with Rodri, evaluates potential bids for Fernández and Bouaddi, and balances its squad composition ahead of the new season.