Barcelona have submitted a third offer worth approximately €70 million for Manchester City midfielder Rodri as they attempt to close the gap on the Premier League club’s €80 million valuation. The Catalan side remain in active negotiations but have not yet secured an agreement for the Spain international.
The La Liga club initially proposed €50 million and subsequently €60 million for the defensive midfielder, only for both bids to be rejected. Their latest approach moves closer to City’s asking price, though it remains unclear whether the figure includes performance-related bonuses. Manchester City have not formally accepted the improved terms, meaning the transfer cannot be considered complete until final details are settled.
Transfer insider Ben Jacobs indicated that the total package under discussion exceeds £60 million, or more than €70 million, and suggested Barcelona are optimistic about reaching a deal. The player recently returned to Britain from Madrid following his holiday and is scheduled to resume training with Manchester City, although this could be postponed if the clubs rush to finalise terms.
The club’s pursuit of reinforcements has been boosted by an agreement to sell forward Ferran Torres to Paris Saint-Germain for €50 million. Those funds are expected to be directed immediately towards incoming transfers.
Cancelo return complicated by price rise
Meanwhile, Barcelona’s efforts to re-sign João Cancelo from Al-Hilal have encountered a setback after the Saudi Pro League side increased their asking price from €10 million to €15 million. The adjustment followed manager Simone Inzaghi’s decision to exclude the Portuguese defender from the squad for their league opener, with reports suggesting the coach does not believe Cancelo is physically ready to compete despite training with team-mates for a week.
Cancelo has signalled his desire to return to Catalonia by posting images of himself in Barcelona colours on social media. However, Al-Hilal’s revised valuation forces Barcelona to decide whether to meet the higher demand or risk the deal collapsing during the final days of the transfer window.
The Catalan club must now weigh whether to absorb Al-Hilal’s increased demands while awaiting Manchester City’s definitive response on Rodri. Both deals remain unresolved as the transfer window enters its final phase.