Barcelona's push for Rodri has moved from interest to a straight fee battle. The first offer, €50 million, was rejected. A second bid of €60 million is now on the table, but Manchester City are still holding out for a figure closer to €80 million. For now, this is not about whether talks exist. It is about whether the gap can be closed.

The bidding so far

The shape of the negotiation is clear enough even if some of the reporting differs on the exact package. Barcelona opened at €50 million and City turned it down. The latest discussions are now centred around €60 million to €65 million, potentially including variables, while City's side of the deal remains closer to €80 million.

Fabrizio Romano put the latest step plainly on caughtoffside.com: "Story from the morning confirmed by Manchester City sources: Barcelona new bid for Rodri, on the table. €60m proposal was sent last night, Man City want more but negotiations continue between clubs to get it done. Barça remain optimistic, as always said."

That optimism looks real enough. So does the resistance from City. When the first bid is rejected and the second still falls well short of the asking price, the deal is alive but not especially close.

Barcelona have also ruled out completing the move today, which fits the current state of talks. Reports describing the next 48 hours as decisive make sense because both clubs now know where the other stands. Barcelona have nudged the number up. City have not yet budged enough.

City hold the leverage, but not forever

There is a reason City can push hard on price. Rodri is not being discussed as a speculative signing or a depth option. He comes with elite-level standing, and his World Cup numbers help explain why Barcelona are still in the conversation. He played 8 matches and logged 745 minutes in the tournament, with a 7.6 average rating.

That profile is also why City do not need to rush into a soft sale. Asking for closer to €80 million is aggressive, but not random. Barcelona are trying to buy a premium midfielder, and premium midfielders are rarely available at a discount unless the selling club has no room to resist.

The contract situation does complicate that stance a bit. Rodri is said to have entered the last year of his City deal, and that naturally raises the pressure on the club's side as well. If that timeline is accurate, City have a good reason to sell at the right price rather than risk letting his value slide toward next summer.

Still, the evidence at the moment favours City's position more than Barcelona's. A club asking for closer to €80 million does not look ready to fold just because the buying side has moved from €50 million to €60 million.

The alternatives and the next step

City are at least thinking about alternatives, but not in a way that suggests they are already moving on. Ben Jacobs told goal.com: "I know internally Alexis Mac Allister has been mentioned, but there's been no contact yet, or developments with Liverpool. So that's just more part of a shortlisting process than anything to get excited about."

That is useful context because it points to planning rather than replacement mode. City can prepare for more than one outcome without accepting Barcelona's terms.

So the timeline is straightforward. Barcelona made an opening offer and saw it rejected. They returned with €60 million. The live range being discussed now is around €60 million to €65 million with possible variables, while City still want something closer to €80 million. The next 48 hours have been described as decisive, but for now the Rodri transfer remains a negotiation between Barca and City, not a completed deal.

FAQ

Will Rodri leave Manchester City for Barcelona this summer?

The current reporting supports strong negotiations, not certainty. Barcelona have already seen a €50 million proposal rejected and have since sent a new bid of €60 million, while Manchester City are still looking for a figure closer to €80 million. The deal is live, but it is not done.

Why is the Rodri transfer to Barcelona taking so long?

The hold-up is the valuation gap between the clubs. Barcelona's original €50 million offer was rejected, and the latest discussions are around €60 million to €65 million, potentially with variables. City still want a figure closer to €80 million, so the negotiation is now mainly about price.

Are Manchester City lining up Alexis Mac Allister as a Rodri replacement?

Ben Jacobs reported that Alexis Mac Allister has been mentioned internally by City, but there has been no contact with Liverpool and no concrete development. At this stage, it reads more like shortlisting than an active move.

Written by Daniel Hartley with AI-assisted research, cross-checked against 7 outlets. How we work →