Barcelona sign Rodri from Man City in £65m deal

What the report says

Barcelona have announced the signing of midfielder Rodri from Manchester City in a deal reported to be worth about £65m. The move brings the 30-year-old back to Spanish football for the first time since his spell with Atletico Madrid ended in 2019, and he has reportedly agreed a four-year contract at the Nou Camp.

BBC Sport says Rodri leaves City after seven seasons in which he made 298 appearances and won 12 major trophies. Those honors included four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League in 2023. His last two seasons were affected by injury, although he returned strongly this summer and was named player of the tournament as Spain won the World Cup.

The report says Real Madrid had initially been seen as the most likely destination while Rodri was in the final year of his City contract, but Barcelona secured permission to speak with him and later reached agreement with City after an opening bid was turned down. Rodri was also pictured arriving in Barcelona, where he described the move as a dream.

The transfer is notable because it shifts a high-profile, trophy-winning midfielder from the Premier League back to La Liga and strengthens Barcelona’s options in a key area of the pitch.