Barcelona’s pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Rodri continues to stall as the Catalan club prepares another attempt to meet the Premier League champions’ asking price—without yet closing the gap that has left City “baffled” by the approach, according to The Independent. Barcelona are understood to be readying a third bid of around £60m, but the latest reports suggest the offer is still likely to fall roughly £10m short of City’s valuation of the Ballon d’Or winner.
The delay is not simply a matter of price; it is also shaping Barcelona’s internal planning for their next midfield move. The Independent notes that progress—or lack of it—on Rodri could affect the speed with which Barcelona or those within their orbit turn attention to Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez. With Enzo Maresca reportedly pushing for Fernandez to join, Barcelona’s timeline for negotiations may now hinge on whether a Rodri deal can be concluded swiftly enough to avoid losing momentum on other targets.
Barcelona’s negotiating position has been repeatedly tested by City’s refusal to accept earlier offers. A separate report from Barca Universal describes a first proposal that City rejected, offering €45m up front plus another €10m in variables. A second attempt raised the guaranteed element to €60m, with variables potentially bringing the overall package to around €70m. Even that improved structure did not convince Manchester City to move, keeping the transfer at an impasse.
With the first two approaches blocked, Barcelona now appear focused on a third attempt intended to move decisively closer to what City will accept. The same report frames this latest stage as potentially entering a “decisive” phase over the coming days, with the final details still being worked out as negotiations continue. Barcelona’s confidence, the outlet suggests, is rooted in the belief that a middle ground will ultimately be found after extended talks, and that City will eventually sanction the move.
However, financial totals and contract terms may be complicating the comparison between what Barcelona are offering and what City are seeking. Barca Blaugranes reports that Barcelona submitted an additional bid of around €70m to Manchester City, alongside an offer of a four-year contract worth €15m per season. While the fee is the visible battleground, the projected total cost of any agreement—including salary, transfer fee and various commissions—is estimated to be roughly €210m in total, underscoring the scale of Barcelona’s commitment if they secure the player.
In other words, the negotiation is taking place on more than one front. Barcelona are trying to craft a deal that satisfies both the valuation demanded by City and the economics required for the player’s wage package and related costs. That makes the “gap” reported by The Independent—approximately £10m short of City’s figure—significant, because it suggests City’s target remains firm despite Barcelona’s willingness to increase both the guaranteed elements and the potential add-ons.
Time is also entering the picture. Barca News Network reports that Barcelona have set a 48-hour time limit to finalise agreement conditions with City, before which a deal could be agreed—or, importantly, that the club may walk away if no settlement is reached. The report indicates that Barcelona are confident their third offer will receive the green light, but that the Catalans’ deadline creates a clear sense of urgency and raises the risk that negotiations could end abruptly.
Beyond the bargaining process, the human and logistical dimension of the transfer is already visible. Barca Universal states that Rodri is back in Manchester and reportedly reported to City’s training ground on Friday as expected. That detail emphasizes that, for now, the midfielder’s professional routine continues in England rather than shifting to a new club environment—an implicit reminder that the deal is not yet done and that City retain control over the outcome until terms are aligned.
From Barcelona’s perspective, the stakes of resolving the Rodri situation quickly are heightened by downstream effects on recruitment. If Barcelona’s midfield rebuild depends on landing Rodri first, the uncertainty surrounding price negotiations could force them to delay other business, including possible moves for players like Enzo Fernandez. The Independent’s report ties the Rodri decision to how fast Barcelona can pursue Fernandez, indicating that Barcelona’s transfer strategy is being paced not only by sporting priorities but by the pace of negotiations with City.
For Manchester City, the reported “bafflement” at Barcelona’s approach suggests City’s leadership may be unconvinced that the bids offered so far reflect the value they place on Rodri. Whether the next attempt—around £60m or a package closer to €70m, depending on how different sources frame the figure and structure—will close the remaining valuation gap remains the central question.
As Barcelona ready the next offer and work through the terms with a clear deadline in mind, the coming days could determine whether Rodri becomes a Barcelona player or whether the Catalan club’s patience runs out. Either way, the negotiations have already demonstrated how a single transfer target can reverberate across a club’s entire recruitment calendar, with Chelsea’s Fernandez now an important variable in the evolving picture.
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