ไทย
English
中國人
Manchester City have reportedly responded to Barcelona's most recent bid for Rodri by raising their asking price to $94.5 million (£70 million).
Barcelona won the opening skirmish in the pursuit of Rodri by edging Real Madrid out of the running. Convincing City to sell, however, has proven considerably more difficult. The Spanish title holders have already had two offers turned down, though the second came reasonably close to the $81 million (£60 million) figure that had initially been set as Rodri's valuation.
That substantial sum was already a considerable investment for a 30-year-old who has dealt with injury problems over the past two seasons. Yet, The Times reports that City's revised demands push the price even higher.
Enzo Maresca's squad are understandably reluctant to part with a player of Rodri's quality in such a pivotal role during what is a turbulent period for the club. Nevertheless, if the World Cup winner is to join Pep Guardiola, Bernardo Silva and John Stones in departing, his sale will need to help finance a midfield overhaul.
Enzo Fernández and Ayyoub Bouaddi are expected to cost upwards of $270 million combined, while Elliot Anderson has already been acquired for $156.5 million. Despite this staggering expenditure, City's financial position is far more stable than Barcelona's. Still, the question of whether the Catalans can afford Rodri might be better framed as whether they can afford to let this opportunity slip.
Do Barcelona Have the Funds to Sign Rodri?
Barcelona have been navigating La Liga's stringent financial regulations ever since Lionel Messi was reluctantly released by the cash-strapped club in 2021. However, after five years, one legal challenge against the division's rules and numerous creative financial maneuvers, the end of the tunnel is finally in sight.
"You've endured some difficult years, but the club is now heading in the right direction," La Liga president Javier Tebas told Joan Laporta following his re-election as club president last season. "Barça have nothing to envy any other club in the country."
The defending league champions are expected to be operating under the 1:1 rule, which essentially means every euro generated can be reinvested this summer, according to The Athletic. That should allow for broader spending without fear of penalties, particularly after offloading high-wage earners such as Robert Lewandowski and Marcus Rashford. Ferran Torres's forthcoming move to Paris Saint-Germain should further ease their financial constraints.
However, this favorable financial outlook may not remain in place for long.
Why It May Be Now or Never for Barcelona to Sign Rodri
Barcelona are set to vacate their iconic Camp Nou once more in June 2027 to allow for a new roof installation. As the club experienced during two seasons of home fixtures at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Montjuïc between 2023–25, this will place enormous financial pressure on the club.
The limited capacity of their temporary venue restricts matchday income, while funds must also be redirected toward the escalating renovation costs. The financial flexibility the club currently enjoys is expected to diminish rapidly once those future expenses kick in next summer. This could well motivate Barcelona to complete their transfer business while the window of opportunity remains open.
There is also a compelling sporting reason to accelerate a deal. Frenkie de Jong returned from the World Cup with the Netherlands carrying a serious knee injury that is likely to keep him sidelined for a significant period. Rodri would fit naturally into the gap left by the absent Dutch midfielder, while also serving as a model for Marc Bernal—the academy-produced long-term successor to Sergio Busquets—in the years ahead.
No transfer exists in a vacuum, and Barcelona will also need to address their striking options. With Lewandowski and Torres both expected to be absent, 18-year-old Hamza Abdelkarim stands as the squad's only natural center forward. Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi could also operate centrally, while deploying Dani Olmo or even Lamine Yamal as a false nine may be an option Flick considers should a deal for Julián Alvarez prove unattainable.