Rodri leaves Manchester City for Barcelona in $88.5 million deal

Rodri is leaving Manchester City. After six seasons as the player who organized the midfield for Pep Guardiola's team, the Spanish midfielder is on the verge of returning to Spain, this time to wear the Barcelona jersey.

According to a person with knowledge of the deal, City and Barcelona have already reached an agreement on the transfer: 76.5 million euros (about $88.5 million). The source spoke on condition of anonymity because the contract details have not yet been made public, and for now neither club has issued an official statement. Until there is a signature and an announcement, it's worth treating this as what it is: a deal closed between the clubs, pending the usual loose ends that come with transfers like this one.

Rodri joined City in 2019 from Atletico Madrid, and since then he became one of the most important pieces of Guardiola's project. The goal he scored to give the team the 2023 Champions League title against Inter Milan stands as proof, one of those goals etched into the memory of any City fan. A year later came individual recognition: he won the Ballon d'Or after being a key piece in Spain's Euro triumph.

A historic summer for Rodri

The 30-year-old midfielder is coming off unforgettable months. He was captain of the Spanish national team that won the World Cup last month and also took home the Ballon d'Or of the tournament as the competition's best player. It's hard to imagine a more complete season on the international stage.

That said, his physical condition right now is a different story. Rodri did not play this past Sunday in City's 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield, as he is still recovering from minor back surgery he underwent after the World Cup. Nothing dramatic, but it's a detail worth keeping in mind regarding the timing of his potential arrival at Barcelona.

He had one year left on his contract with City, so this move comes at a time when the English club was already losing depth in midfield: Bernardo Silva left this summer for Real Madrid, and now Rodri's departure would add to that list, another key name from Guardiola's most successful era in Manchester.

How will Rodri fit into Hansi Flick's system? That's the question beginning to circulate among Barcelona fans. What is clear is that, if the deal is confirmed as everything suggests, Barcelona will add one of the best midfielders in the world coming off his finest season, right when the club needs to strengthen that part of the field.