Barcelona has officially registered its interest in Manchester City midfielder Rodri, entering a bidding war with bitter rivals Real Madrid for the player's signature. Rodri, 30, has expressed a desire to return to Spain for family reasons, prompting Manchester City to seek an optimal transfer fee.
Manchester City made a new contract offer to Rodri, the Spain captain, in April. His current contract has one year remaining, and the club is aware of his openness to a move. While Rodri was initially drawn to Madrid, he is reportedly open to joining Barcelona's project, which includes eight Spanish national team players.
Real Madrid president Florentino Perez was initially hesitant about the transfer, but other figures within the club view it as a potentially beneficial acquisition. New Real Madrid manager Jose Mourinho has advocated for recruiting senior players to address perceived divisiveness within the team's dressing room.
Rodri, who won the Ballon d'Or in 2024 and was a key player in Spain's recent World Cup victory, also made 33 appearances for Manchester City last season. However, his season was impacted by hamstring and groin injuries. Manchester City has already secured Elliot Anderson and is pursuing a deal for Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi.