Manchester City have turned down Barcelona’s opening approach for Rodri, with reports indicating the Premier League club will only consider a sale at a significantly higher figure.
Barcelona are reported to have offered €45m, or roughly £38.5m, for the Spain midfielder. Multiple outlets say City’s valuation is at least £60m, while negotiations are continuing as the player enters the final year of his contract.
The situation has prompted fresh reporting around City’s midfield plans. Ayyoub Bouaddi is repeatedly named as a target, while Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández has also emerged as a potential, more established option should Rodri leave.
Rodri’s future remains unresolved
Rodri is said to favour a move to Barcelona after Real Madrid’s interest did not progress. One report states that personal terms with Barcelona have been agreed, although that has not been independently confirmed across all the reporting.
What is clearer is that the clubs are some distance apart at the outset. City are reluctant to lose a player who has been central to their success for a fee they regard as below his market value, particularly given the possibility that he could depart without a transfer fee when his deal expires next year.
The 30-year-old is also recovering from minor back surgery and is expected to miss much of City’s pre-season programme. Barcelona’s need for midfield reinforcement has increased following Frenkie de Jong’s injury, according to the reports, but urgency does not necessarily improve their negotiating position.
For City, the decision is not solely financial. Rodri’s role has often been about controlling games, protecting the defence and setting the tempo from deep. Replacing that influence with one signing would be difficult, regardless of the fee eventually agreed.
Bouaddi is a long-term profile, not a direct replica
Bouaddi, the teenage Morocco international, has attracted attention after establishing himself in French football at an unusually early age. His ability to receive possession under pressure and distribute from the base of midfield is understood to appeal to City’s recruitment staff.
The reporting is not fully consistent on his current club or potential price. Most accounts identify Lille as the side in negotiations with City and put a possible deal at up to £80m. Another report refers to Lens and suggests a valuation nearer €100m. That discrepancy means the details of any proposed transfer should be treated cautiously.
Even so, the wider logic of City’s interest is clear. Bouaddi would represent an investment in a player who could develop into a pivotal midfielder over several seasons, rather than an immediate attempt to reproduce every aspect of Rodri’s game.
There would also be a sizeable adaptation challenge. Rodri arrived at City as an experienced senior international and has spent years learning the positional demands of the role. Bouaddi’s potential is widely recognised, but expectation that an 18-year-old could instantly assume the same responsibility would be unrealistic.
City’s recent midfield work suggests they may be planning for a redistribution of duties rather than a one-for-one handover. Elliot Anderson has already joined from Nottingham Forest for a reported £116m, giving the squad another high-value midfield addition before any Rodri decision is finalised.
Fernández link points to alternative route
Fernández offers a contrasting possibility. The Chelsea player has experience at the highest level and has operated both further forward and in more all-action midfield roles. Reports say City have begun exploring the conditions of a deal, with Enzo Maresca’s knowledge of the Argentine from Chelsea cited as a potential factor.
However, Fernández is not portrayed as an inexpensive solution. Chelsea are said to value him at about £120m, a level that would make any move complex after City’s spending on Anderson. Real Madrid have also been linked with the 25-year-old, adding another potential competitor if their own midfield plans change.
Tactically, Fernández could offer City progression and creativity from central areas, but his profile differs from Rodri’s specialist holding role. The reports suggest that Anderson may be allowed to advance more often in a reshaped midfield, with Fernández capable of dropping deeper at times. That would indicate a more collective answer to Rodri’s possible exit rather than a like-for-like replacement.
City hold the key to the next step
The immediate leverage remains with City. Barcelona’s first proposal has been rejected, and the English club can choose between accepting an improved offer, retaining Rodri for the final year of his deal, or seeking an agreement that meets their valuation.
Bouaddi appears to fit the succession plan, while Fernández would bring greater readiness but at a potentially prohibitive cost. City could yet pursue either route, both routes, or neither if Rodri remains at the Etihad Stadium.
For now, the most significant development is not that a replacement has been secured, but that City are preparing multiple responses to a possible departure. The gap between Barcelona’s initial offer and City’s requested fee will determine whether those contingency plans need to become immediate business.