Spain midfielder Rodri has arrived in Barcelona to complete his transfer from Manchester City, a move he described as a "dream" to play for the La Liga club. Barcelona has agreed to pay an estimated fee of £65 million for the 30-year-old, who is set to sign a four-year contract with the Spanish champions.
"I'm very happy to have arrived. The last few days have been intense, but I'm glad everything has been sorted out. Of course, playing for FC Barcelona is a dream," Rodri told journalists upon his arrival. He added that he is eager to join his new teammates and is targeting the Champions League and other titles with Barcelona.
Rodri joins Barcelona after a decorated seven-year tenure at Manchester City, where he made 298 appearances and won 12 major honors. These include four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups, and the Champions League in the 2022-23 season. He initially transferred to City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then-club record £62.8 million.
Despite missing a significant portion of the 2024-25 campaign due to a serious knee injury and experiencing hamstring issues in subsequent seasons, Rodri returned to top form. He captained Spain to their second World Cup title this summer, earning player of the tournament accolades.
Manchester City had reportedly rejected an initial offer of £38.5 million from Barcelona the previous week, as Rodri was entering the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium. While Real Madrid was previously linked with a move for the midfielder, Barcelona intensified their efforts in recent days to secure the signing.