Barcelona have stepped up their attempts to hijack Real Madrid’s move to sign Rodri from Manchester City.
While City have not given up hope that Spain’s World Cup-winning captain will sign a new contract after he entered the final year of his deal, they are thought to be willing to allow him to leave for about £60m. Despite weeks of talks with Rodri and his representatives, Real have yet to reach an agreement and Barcelona are hoping to take advantage.
It is understood that Rodri spoke to their manager Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco about a potential move on Wednesday and indicated that he is keen to return to Spain. Barca, who will be without midfielder Frenkie de Jong for several months after the Netherlands midfielder suffered a knee injury, are now expected to make contact with City to negotiate the structure of the fee for the 30-year-old, who won the Golden Ball for the World Cup’s best player.
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Real – who have agreed a club record fee of £115m for RB Leipzig’s Yan Diomande – are also in negotiations with Vinícius Júnior over a lucrative contract extension to ward off interest from Arsenal. They may have to offload players first if they are to sign Rodri as well. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga are possible departures, with Manchester United having been linked with the France midfielders.
Rodri has had minor surgery on his back and will miss most of City’s pre-season programme. They have signed Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m and remain in negotiations with Lille over a deal for the 18-year-old Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Meanwhile, Barcelona have been frustrated in their efforts to persuade Atlético Madrid to sell Julián Alvarez. After Robert Lewandowski’s departure, Barcelona have targeted Alvarez all summer, but Atlético continue to insist the Argentina striker is not for sale at any price. Barça’s sporting director, Deco, was in the Spanish capital to meet Alvarez’s representatives on Wednesday. All eyes will be on whether the 26-year-old former City forward will return to pre-season training on Monday or attempt to force through a transfer. Arsenal also retain an interest in him.
Ferran Torres – who scored the winning goal for Spain in the World Cup final against Argentina – has entered the final year of his contract at Barcelona and said he is waiting for them to begin talks over extending his deal. “All I know is that I have to be in training for Barcelona on 12 August. Let’s see what happens.” Asked what Barcelona needed to do to keep him, he said: “Show me they want me, come to negotiate.”
