Barcelona are moving closer to securing the signing of midfielder Rodri from Manchester City, with reports indicating that the transfer is entering its final stages. Notably, the most important part of the operation has already been completed. The Catalan club and the player have successfully reached an agreement regarding his contract terms, which has been in place for several days. This development effectively removes the player's personal decision as a primary obstacle to the move, leaving negotiations between the two clubs as the final major hurdle.
With the personal terms settled, the focus for Barcelona has shifted to the final negotiation phase with Manchester City concerning the transfer fee. While the club has been working to navigate the financial complexities of the operation, officials are currently resolving minor details before the two teams can exchange the necessary documentation to make the signing official. This progress has led to an increasingly realistic expectation that the transfer will be completed soon.
For Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, the timing is critical. He is eager to gain clarity on his squad composition before the new La Liga season begins, and integrating Rodri during the early stages of preparation would provide a significant boost to his tactical plans. Ideally, Flick hopes to have the midfielder available for training as early as this week, which would allow Rodri to begin working with his new teammates and start adapting to the German’s tactical demands.
Despite this momentum, a slight complication remains regarding the immediate timeline. Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has indicated that the player is expected to return to England this week as the Premier League club resumes its training schedule. This suggests that while negotiations are progressing encouragingly, the official completion of the transfer may not happen immediately.
In other football news, the Premier League has issued a statement explaining why Tottenham were not awarded a penalty against Leeds, addressing a moment involving James Maddison on his return from injury. Meanwhile, analysts continue to monitor the market, predicting which clubs the summer's biggest free agents will sign for.
Right now, only minor details are left to resolve before the clubs can exchange documents and begin the formal signing process.
⏳ Rodri ever closer to Barça: only details left, says Sport
