Real Madrid made bid of less than €40m for Rodri before Barcelona move

Rodri is undergoing a medical with Barcelona, with new details emerging about Real Madrid’s unsuccessful attempt to sign the Spain captain from Manchester City.

The Spanish midfielder has been pursued by Real Madrid for several weeks, but he ultimately chose to join their La Liga rivals. Barcelona are understood to have agreed the financial terms of the deal, with only the official announcement remaining.

The proposed transfer would see Barcelona pay Manchester City a guaranteed €60m, with a further €11m available in performance-related and other variables. The agreement has been widely reported in the Spanish media, although the move has not yet been formally confirmed by the clubs.

According to Spanish television programme El Chiringuito, Real Madrid opened negotiations with an initial offer of less than €40m for Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.

That proposal was significantly below Manchester City’s expectations for the player, while Barcelona showed a much stronger willingness to meet the conditions required to complete the transfer.

The report suggests Real Madrid’s attempt failed before the deal with Barcelona reached its final stage. Rodri’s medical examination with the Catalan club is now the latest indication that he is set to leave Manchester City and continue his career at the Camp Nou.

💰 “El REAL MADRID ofrecio MENOS de 40 MILLONES por RODRI”.✍️ Informacion de@JuanfeSanzPerezen#ElChiringuitoEstrenoen Energy.pic.twitter.com/7kleuLu3Fq

Real Madrid’s interest had been known for several weeks, but the club’s initial offer did not match Manchester City’s valuation of the Spain international. Barcelona’s willingness to commit €60m up front, with the possibility of an additional €11m, appears to have enabled them to move ahead in the race.

The transfer represents a significant change in direction for Rodri, who was being targeted by both of Spain’s leading clubs. Rather than moving to Real Madrid, he has opted for Barcelona, provided the medical and remaining formalities are completed successfully.

At this stage, the official announcement is still to come. However, the agreement on the financial details and the player’s medical examination indicate that the proposed move is close to completion.

The details of Real Madrid’s offer provide further insight into how the negotiations developed. Their bid of less than €40m fell well short of Manchester City’s expectations, while Barcelona eventually agreed a package worth up to €71m.

Rodri’s decision to join Barcelona therefore follows an unsuccessful approach from Real Madrid and a separate agreement that has reportedly settled all of the financial terms between the Catalan club and Manchester City.