La Liga: Rodri joins Barcelona from Manchester City

Rodri, Spain's World Cup-winning captain, has joined Barcelona from Manchester City for €76.5 million. He has signed a deal with the La Liga champions until 2030. According to IOL, Rodri was close to joining Real Madrid before opting for their arch-rivals.

Rodri, 30, had been with Manchester City for seven years, winning 12 major trophies including the 2023 Champions League and four Premier League titles. He struggled with injuries over the past two seasons but shone in Spain's World Cup triumph. The midfielder was a vital figure for Pep Guardiola at City.

Rodri expressed his pride and gratitude for his time at Manchester City, saying he was leaving with "a huge sense of pride about what we have achieved and gratitude too for so many amazing memories". Times of India reported that Rodri was excited to join Barcelona, saying it was a "dream" to play for the club.

Brief written by urgent.news from Punch, Punch Nigeria, IOL, Gulf News, Times of India — 5 reports on this story. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.