A number of top insiders have confirmed the fee Barcelona will pay to Manchester City after the English club finally accepted an offer for midfield man Rodri.
The Spaniard’s exit was accepted in City’s minds months ago. It was suggested Rodri wanted to leave this summer, with a return to Spain his priority.
Real Madrid were the main club interested, but City sounded out other clubs – Barcelona among them – and the midfielder decided he wanted to join the LaLiga champions.
But Barca struggled to convince City to sell for some time – a derisory first bid of €45million (£38.5m) was immediately knocked back, and two more failed soon after.
On Sunday, the Spanish giants have finally made their breakthrough, with an entire package of €76.5million (£65.4million) revealed by our friends at TEAMtalk.
A number of other transfer insiders have also confirmed the news that Rodri will be joining Barca.
Insiders confirm Rodri transfer
David Ornstein wrote for The Athletic: ‘City will receive an upfront fee of €60million (£51.2m; $68.8m) for the central midfielder with more than €11m of the add-ons viewed as achievable, with the Premier League side expecting to achieve at least €71.5m for a player who has less than 12 months of his contract remaining.
‘Personal terms are not expected to be an issue for the Spain international, who starred in his nation’s World Cup success this summer, with a four-year contract proposed by champions of La Liga.’
Fabrizio Romano, meanwhile, said: ‘Rodri will sign a four year contract at Barcelona this upcoming week – it will be valid until June 2030.
And Ben Jacobs stated City will ‘reinvest in the midfield in the coming days.’
The deal for Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi is expected to be confirmed shortly, with the Moroccan signing for €100million (£85.5m), and he’ll be the second expensive midfielder signed at the Etihad this summer after £116million Elliot Anderson.
City retain an interest in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez after the Blues’ 5pm deadline for his £120million transfer passed on Friday.
The Citizens are said to remain in contact both with the Argentine’s camp and with Chelsea over a potential transfer.
It’s expected the Blues could still sanction his exit, but that it won’t be for the £120million that City or any other club could have got him for in recent days.
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