Barcelona is actively pursuing a move for Manchester City midfielder Rodri, preparing to submit a revised offer after their initial bid was deemed insufficient. The Spanish club aims to reach a compromise with City over the £68 million valuation of the World Cup-winning captain.
Rodri has expressed his desire to join Barcelona, and his preference is to play under coach Hansi Flick at Camp Nou. While Real Madrid had previously shown interest, Rodri reportedly informed them that Barcelona is now his priority. The club's initial offer, reported as £38 million plus add-ons, was described as 'derisory' by Manchester City.
Barcelona's pursuit of Rodri is part of a broader strategy to re-invest funds from player sales into strengthening the squad. The club has agreed to send captain Ronald Araujo to Liverpool on a season-long loan with an option to buy for £47 million. Additionally, Ferran Torres is in discussions with Paris Saint-Germain about a potential transfer. Midfielder Marc Casado and winger Roony Bardghji were notably absent from the squad that traveled to a pre-season tournament in Udine, Italy.
Beyond midfield, Barcelona is also looking to acquire a striker and a center-back. Tottenham's Cristian Romero is on their shortlist, though he is also being pursued by Inter Milan and Atletico Madrid. A transfer fee of around £35 million is expected for Romero. Atletico Madrid is reportedly considered the favorite to sign him and aims to finalize a deal before Barcelona makes a move.
Meanwhile, Liverpool is anticipating Araujo to undergo a medical ahead of finalizing his loan move. The 27-year-old Uruguayan international provides versatile defensive cover for Liverpool, capable of playing at both center-back and right-back. This acquisition comes as Liverpool deals with injuries to other defenders. Liverpool is also in negotiations with Paris Saint-Germain for wingers Bradley Barcola and Ibrahim Mbaye.