“Barcelona increases offer for Rodri to try to close the deal.”

After two proposals rejected by midfielder Rodri of Manchester City, Barcelona has reportedly made a third offer of around $81 million (£60 million) to secure the 30-year-old player. Euphoria has already spread throughout Catalonia as fans celebrated the decision of the newly crowned world champion to abandon plans with Real Madrid to join the reigning Spanish champions. However, negotiations at the Catalan club are never straightforward.

Barcelona, which is said to have already agreed on personal terms with Rodri, saw a bid of $52 million (£38.5 million) and another of $69.3 million (£51.3 million) rejected by Manchester City. Recent reports indicate that the English club values the Ballon d'Or winner at $94.5 million (£70 million). In a bid to finalize the deal, MARCA reports that Barcelona has now submitted a third proposal, with the total package potentially reaching $81 million, although this amount still falls short of City's valuation. Despite this, both parties believe that an “agreement is closer.”

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona is “confident” that it will be able to sign Rodri this summer, predicting that the deal will be finalized “no later than next week.” Meanwhile, Rodri has joined Manchester City in preparing for the clash against the current English champions, Arsenal, in the Community Shield. Manager Enzo Maresca was asked about Rodri's situation and remained cautious in his response, stating: “The transfer market is open, we can buy and sell players. Anything can happen. I just saw Rodri now in the building, I gave him a big hug. He is fine. Let's see what happens.”

Recently, Manchester City has also been linked with former Maresca favorite Enzo Fernández as a possible replacement for Rodri. However, Chelsea has set a strict deadline for proposals for the Argentine midfielder, and that deadline has passed without any action from City. The team has already invested significantly in the signing of Elliot Anderson this summer and remains connected to rising Moroccan star Ayyoub Bouaddi. Additionally, Maresca has players like Nico González, Mateo Kovačić, and Tijjani Reijnders at his disposal, with the latter expected to join Al-Qadsiah in the Saudi Pro League.

The absence of Rodri will be a significant loss for City, which has only failed to win trophies in the 2024-25 season over the past nine years, when Rodri was sidelined due to a torn anterior cruciate ligament. Barcelona, on the other hand, entered this transfer market with a seemingly well-stocked midfield, featuring Pedri, Frenkie de Jong, Gavi, and others. However, De Jong's recent knee injury forced the club to act quickly, redoubling efforts to secure Rodri, who opted for Camp Nou over the Bernabéu.

Despite the focus on signing Rodri, Barcelona's larger problems remain unresolved. The team has yet to find a forward to replace Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, who transferred to Paris Saint-Germain. Efforts to attract Julián Alvarez from Atlético de Madrid have progressed slowly, and the club also urgently needs reinforcements in defense, as it has yet to replace Iñigo Martínez since his departure last summer. With time running out and more issues to address, the full dedication to acquiring Rodri may be diverting attention from crucial matters within the Catalan squad.