Barcelona reportedly contact Manchester City for Rodri

Barcelona have reportedly entered the race for Manchester City midfielder Rodri, a move that could complicate a transfer that many insiders still expect will land the Spain captain at Real Madrid.

Sources in Catalonia say coach Hansi Flick and sporting director Deco have held important talks and agreed the club should consider adding another central midfielder after Frenkie de Jong suffered a serious knee injury that is likely to keep him out until the end of 2026.

Flick keeps options open

Flick, speaking before returning to Barcelona from a short tour of England, did not rule out reinforcements: "Will we bring a replacement for De Jong? We are always open to the possibility of strengthening the team and improving if we have the space. It is also true that we have many options in midfield, but we will see what happens over the next few weeks," he said.

Barcelona have depth in the middle — Pedri, Marc Bernal, Gavi and possibly Eric Garcia if needed — so the exact role they would deploy Rodri in is not yet clear. Still, the club views the Spain captain as an opportunity not to be missed.

Manchester City have taken a clear stance: they will agree to sell their captain if Rodri wants to leave, but they expect appropriate compensation of at least €50,000,000. The 27-year-old entered the final year of his contract with City and declined to renew.

Photo: press material from the event