First bid rejected! Barcelona offered €45 million for Rodri, but Manchester City demands over €70 million.

According to reports from BBC, Sky Sports, and Daily Mail on August 8, Barcelona's initial offer for Rodri, the key midfielder of Manchester City, was rejected outright. The Catalan club's bid of €45 million fixed fee was nowhere near what City had anticipated, bringing talks to a halt.

Details of the offer revealed, Manchester City takes a tough stance.

It is learned that Barcelona's initial offer consists of a €45 million fixed fee plus up to €10 million in add-ons, making a maximum total of €55 million. However, Manchester City considers the bid lacking in sincerity and not even worth formal discussion.

Although Rodri's current market value is €45 million and his contract with City has only one year left (expiring in summer 2027), City remains extremely tough in negotiations. British media revealed that City believes Barcelona must significantly increase their offer before the club will even sit down at the negotiating table. It is widely expected that City's asking price exceeds €70 million, and some sources even suggest that City would only consider letting him go if the offer is close to double Barcelona's bid (around €80-90 million).

Player's intention clear, Barcelona confident.

Despite the rejection of the first bid, Barcelona remains confident in completing the deal. According to Spanish media Sport, Barcelona has reached a full agreement with Rodri's camp on personal terms, offering a 4-year contract with a pre-tax annual salary of up to €30 million.

Rodri himself has clearly expressed his desire to join Barcelona and has authorized the club to negotiate with Manchester City. With Real Madrid officially withdrawing from the race, Barcelona is now the only club that can reach an agreement with City, avoiding the risk of a bidding war. Barcelona believes that considering Rodri's contract has only one year left and the player is determined to leave, the total price of €55 million is reasonable and fair.

Negotiation focus: How to bridge the gap in transfer fee?

Currently, the final obstacle to the deal is the negotiation over the transfer fee between the two clubs. Barcelona estimates that City might eventually accept a fee around €65 million, which is only €5 million more than the maximum Barcelona is willing to pay — a gap that is not too large.

Next, both sides will enter a crucial phase of negotiation and pressure. Barcelona's advantage is that the player is on their side, and Rodri has only one year left on his contract and has not accepted City's renewal offer. Once an agreement is reached, Rodri could travel to Barcelona next week to complete a medical and sign the contract, which would be a win-win-win deal.

This transfer saga that has captured the attention of fans worldwide is entering its final sprint. Will Rodri be able to don the red and blue jersey as he wishes? Let's wait and see.

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