Rodri Close to Joining Barcelona from Manchester City

Rodri is edging closer to swapping Manchester for Barcelona, with the deal now said to be at its most advanced stage yet.

Spanish outlet Sport reports that talks between Barcelona and Manchester City have moved forward after the Catalan club submitted a third bid for the Spain international. The latest proposal has brought the two clubs nearer to an agreement, with the gap in valuations narrowing as negotiations continue.

The decisive push, though, is coming from the player himself.

Rodri, a world champion and the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, is described as determined to make the move to Barça immediately. He wants the transfer done, and done now. That desire has become a key driving force behind the talks, adding pressure on all sides to find a breakthrough.

Transfer specialist Fabrizio Romano reports that Rodri is in almost daily contact with several of his Spain team-mates who already wear the Barcelona shirt. The messages exchanged leave no doubt: he is fully committed to the idea of joining them at club level and backing Barcelona’s long-term project.

That bond is not superficial. Rodri enjoys a particularly close relationship with a core group of Barça players: Eric García, Dani Olmo, Pau Cubarsí, Lamine Yamal, Joan García, Gavi, Pedri and Fermín López. They form a substantial chunk of the Spain national team’s spine, and he knows their personalities, their habits, and the atmosphere they create in the dressing room.

For Rodri, that familiarity matters. He would be walking into a locker room he already understands, surrounded by team-mates he trusts and has already shared major international moments with. It is one of the reasons he has chosen to throw his weight behind Barcelona’s sporting project at this stage of his career.

The clubs are still working to close the final distance in negotiations. The player, though, has already made his move.