FC Barcelona are preparing their third offer for Rodri.
After reaching a personal agreement with the midfielder, who has prioritised Hansi Flick’s project over Real Madrid, the Catalan club are working on a new proposal aimed at finally convincing Manchester City to sell.
According to Miguel Delaney of The Independent, Barcelona are prepared to offer around £60 million in guaranteed money, equivalent to just over €70 million.
That figure would still fall short of the Cityzens’ valuation of £70 million, roughly €82 million.
The gap would therefore be around £10 million, although Manchester City appear willing to consider the deal.
After all, the English giants are planning a reshaping of their midfield and would not necessarily stand in Rodri’s way, particularly given the player’s desire to return to Spain after winning the World Cup this summer.
New offer incoming. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)
For now, Rodri is back in Manchester and reported to City’s training ground on Friday, as expected.
Third time lucky?
The main obstacle for the deal to be finalised thus far has been financial. Barcelona have already submitted two offers that Manchester City rejected.
The first was worth €45 million up front plus another €10 million in variables. The second raised the guaranteed payment to €60 million, with variables potentially taking the total package to around €70 million.
Neither proposal was enough to convince Manchester City.
Now, Barça are preparing a third attempt that would move significantly closer to the English club’s demands. The final details are still being worked out, but the transfer could enter its decisive phase over the coming days.
Will the deal finally go through? (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)
Barcelona remain determined to complete the deal after making Rodri one of their main priorities of the summer.
Man City’s Enzo operation could hinge on Rodri
The Rodri negotiations could also have an impact on another major Premier League transfer.
Manchester City remain interested in Enzo Fernandez, but Chelsea are maintaining a firm stance and demanding £120 million for the Argentine midfielder.
According to the report, the speed at which the Rodri deal progresses could directly influence City’s move for the Argentine.
Manager Enzo Maresca is pushing for the Chelsea star’s signing, and discussions have advanced enough for the situation to potentially be resolved before the transfer window closes.
As such, Barcelona remain confident that Manchester City will eventually offload Rodri and that a middle ground could eventually be reached after extended negotiations.