Market: Rodri decided between Real Madrid and Barça

Rodri’s future appears to be written away from Manchester City. Eager to return to Spain after several seasons in the Premier League, the Spanish midfielder has seemingly opted for FC Barcelona, despite Real Madrid’s long-standing interest. Named the best player of the 2026 World Cup, Rodri is among the most sought-after players in this summer’s transfer market. His desire to return to his country, driven by both sporting and personal reasons, has quickly sparked interest from both La Liga giants.

Long considered the frontrunner, Real Madrid had recently started to push for this deal after Florentino Pérez gave the green light to his executives to start discussions with Manchester City. However, negotiations never really took off, leaving the door open for an offensive from FC Barcelona.

According to several reliable sources, the Spanish champions now appear to be in favor with the Spanish international. Influencer Riles was the first to mention this choice, a trend later picked up by various media, including RMC journalist Fabrice Hawkins. In Spain, the optimism has shifted, and Real Madrid is reportedly no longer hiding its concern.

A financial obstacle to overcome

While Barça seems to have convinced the player on sporting grounds, the deal is still far from being finalized. The Catalan leaders now need to find the necessary resources to meet Manchester City’s demands, which are reportedly around 70 million euros to release their midfielder.

Real Madrid, however, has not yet given up all hope. It remains to be seen whether Casa Blanca will make one last attempt to turn the tide or if Rodri is definitively set on joining Camp Nou, convinced that the project and the style of play at Barcelona align better with his ambitions.