{
  "id": 271812,
  "title": "Man City reject Barcelona’s £38.5m opening bid for Rodri",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/07/man-city-reject-barcelonas-38-5m-opening-bid-for-rodri",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-08-07T16:21:18.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Punch Nigeria",
    "slug": "punch-nigeria",
    "url": "https://punchng.com/man-city-reject-barcelonas-38-5m-opening-bid-for-rodri/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Manchester City have dismissed an initial £38.5 million bid from Barcelona for midfielder Rodri, declaring their intention to demand a fee exceeding £60 million for the Spanish international. The 30-year-old is in the last year of his contract at the Etihad Stadium and has yet to finalize a new deal, raising questions about his future this summer. Barcelona, reported by BBC Sport to be the frontrunner for Rodri, submitted their first formal offer on Friday but was promptly rejected by City. City is open to selling Rodri but seeks a substantial fee for the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, a key defensive midfielder in contemporary football. Although Real Madrid had previously been linked with the player, talks with Madrid have reportedly concluded, while Barcelona continues their negotiations with Rodri's representatives. Rodri's recent performances have been impacted by injuries, including a significant knee injury during the 2024-25 season and a hamstring issue that hindered his comeback. Nonetheless, he demonstrated his prowess at the 2022 World Cup, where he was instrumental in Spain's victory and earned the tournament's best player accolade. The midfielder, who is presently recuperating from back surgery and is set to return to Manchester next week for rehabilitation, is eager for City to settle his future swiftly as they seek a possible replacement. City is also seeking to discuss the transfer of 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi from Lille; however, Lille's £86 million valuation poses a considerable hurdle. Spanish sources indicate that Real Madrid also made an enticing offer for Rodri following the World Cup, with top officials, including president Florentino Perez and CEO Jose Angel Sanchez, actively pursuing the deal. However, after being outbid by Barcelona, Real Madrid opted to discontinue their pursuit, thereby enabling Barcelona to emerge as the leading contender for Rodri's signature.",
  "summary": "Manchester City rejects Barcelona’s opening £38.5m bid for midfielder Rodri, demanding over £60m. Learn more about the Rodri transfer saga. Read More: https://punchng.com/man-city-reject-barcelonas-38-5m-opening-bid-for-rodri/",
  "key_points": [
    "Manchester City rejects Barcelona's £38.5m bid for Rodri.",
    "City demands fee over £60m for Spanish midfielder.",
    "Rodri's future uncertain after injury-plagued season."
  ],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}