Enzo Maresca has given the clearest sign yet that Rodri is still expected back at Manchester City. He said the midfielder will be in Manchester on August 14, while City have also rejected a €45 million (£38.5m) offer from Barcelona. The move is still live, but it is not close to completion.

City still control the timeline

Maresca’s line was blunt enough. “Yes, at the moment he will be in Manchester. There is no update. On August 14 he will be back,” he said on standard.co.uk. Another report quoted him as saying, “For the time being, we're expecting him in Manchester on Wednesday.”

That leaves City in a familiar position. Rodri is in the final year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium, but the club have not been pushed into a sale on Barcelona’s terms. Their stance has already held once, and the latest return date suggests it is holding again.

Rodri’s level has not dipped either. He has a 7.57 average rating across 8 appearances and 745 minutes in the 2026 World Cup, which is hardly the profile of a player drifting into the background while transfer talk grows louder.

Barcelona's offer still has work to do

The money is the obvious sticking point. Barcelona’s first formal offer was reportedly €45 million plus €10 million in add-ons, while another report said City rejected a straight €45 million offer. The same reporting also puts City’s valuation in a much higher bracket, with figures ranging from around €70 million to around €80 million.

That gap is still too wide for a clean deal. Barcelona finished first in La Liga on 94 points and are clearly trying to strengthen, but City finished second in the Premier League on 78 points and have little reason to let a key midfielder leave cheaply.

So the picture is pretty simple right now. Barcelona want the deal accelerated, City are still planning for Rodri’s return, and the fee has not moved into the range that would force a change in position. The next marker is August 14, when City expect him back in Manchester.

Written by Jack Mercer with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 5 outlets. How we work →