English Premier League
Rodri pushes for swift Manchester City transfer to Barcelona
Rodri is urging Manchester City and Barcelona to complete his proposed transfer as quickly as possible so he can join Hansi Flick’s squad when international players return on 12 August.
The midfielder wants to avoid losing valuable time adapting to Barcelona’s plans before the new season begins. Talks between the two clubs have made significant progress, with the remaining differences understood to be relatively small.
According to Spanish newspaper Sport, Rodri is currently on holiday in Ibiza with his family and has left negotiations to his agent. Barcelona already knew the player’s conditions for joining, as well as how a possible agreement with Manchester City was likely to develop.
After securing Rodri’s approval, Barcelona activated the necessary paperwork relating to his personal terms and submitted a formal offer to Manchester City.
Rodri has told Manchester City’s management that he wants to play for Barcelona this season. His intention is to begin training with the Catalan club on 12 August alongside the rest of the returning internationals.
The player, named the best footballer at the 2026 World Cup, does not want to waste time during the early stages of settling into his new team. He believes Barcelona is the best sporting option for the next stage of his career, despite interest from Real Madrid.
Rodri had previously been unable to reach an agreement with Barcelona, which led him to ask his agent to inform the club that he was available to join. Barcelona then acted quickly to pursue the transfer and accepted the financial conditions requested by the player.
The midfielder is highly regarded at Manchester City and is considered a particularly popular figure within the club because of his professionalism. Manchester City are expected to make his departure easier, although they remain determined to receive what they consider an appropriate transfer fee.
If the negotiations are concluded swiftly, Rodri plans to travel directly from Ibiza to Barcelona. He also wants to say goodbye to Manchester City supporters and club staff when the opportunity arises.
Rodri is in good physical condition and has almost recovered from a minor back operation. However, he will still need to regain match sharpness, as will the other international players, before returning to full competitive fitness.
He believes he will be in the best possible condition for a season that will demand the highest levels of preparation and physical readiness. Barcelona are confident that Rodri can be registered normally in La Liga, although his debut could be delayed until September.
That delay would reflect the fitness situation of the returning internationals. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick is not prepared to risk selecting any player before they have completed their recovery and reached the required level of readiness.
Rodri’s preference for Barcelona has remained clear throughout the process. The player’s request for a rapid resolution has now placed pressure on both clubs to finalise the details, allowing him to begin his adaptation to Flick’s project as soon as possible.
