Barcelona and Manchester City reached a definitive agreement for the transfer of Rodrigo Hernández, Rodri, after ten days of negotiations. The 30-year-old Spanish midfielder will join the Barça team for next season and will sign a four-year contract, valid until 2030.
The closing of the operation still requires the completion of several steps before it can be officially announced. The contracts must be drawn up and signed, while the footballer will have to pass the corresponding medical examination.
The agreement contemplates a payment of 75 million euros between a fixed and variable amount, after Barcelona presented five different proposals during the conversations. Four were formal and another was done verbally.
The last Barça offer ended up convincing Manchester City. Deco and Hugo Viana were in charge of closing the final understanding between both entities this Sunday.
Ten days of negotiations and five proposals
The road to the agreement began when Rodri rejected a proposal from Real Madrid and gave his approval to the Barcelona project. From that moment on, Manchester City agreed to sit down and negotiate with the Catalan club, although initially their intention was to convince the footballer to renew his relationship with the English team.
The first positions were quite far away.
Barcelona began by offering 45 million fixed euros plus variables. City's response placed its claims at 90 million, also including the fixed part and incentives. The distance between both amounts then reached 45 million euros.
Negotiation continued over the next few days. Barcelona progressively increased its proposals, while Manchester City reduced its demands. The Barça club raised its offers by five million euros and the English team reduced its claims by ten million, until the parties began to get closer.
On Friday night, Barcelona's penultimate proposal arrived, valued at 70 million euros between fixed and variables. By that time, the difference was already 10 million and the agreement seemed to be getting closer.
Finally, on Sunday, an understanding occurred.
Although Rodri only had one year left on his contract with Manchester City, the English club was not willing to let the midfielder leave for a reduced fee. The footballer's assessment was also marked by his status as a Ballon d'Or winner at the last World Cup and by the role he played as a starter in the team led by the Manchester club.
Rodri prepares his arrival at Barcelona
The Spanish midfielder will thus become a new Barcelona player once all the documentation is completed. The Catalan club hopes to make the incorporation official next week, when the three parties have completed the necessary procedures.
The operation puts an end to conversations that began with a considerable difference between the economic positions of both clubs. The final agreement was established at 75 million euros, including variable concepts.
Rodri's arrival also marks the return of the footballer to Spanish football after his time at Manchester City. The Spanish international will join a Barcelona team that has opted to close his incorporation through a four-season contract.
The outcome of this negotiation contrasts with the operation that Barcelona had with PSG for Ferran Torres, used as a reference to explain the differences between both cases. Ferran also had one year left on his contract, but the sporting situation was different: Rodri was considered an absolute starter for both City and his national team, in addition to having a Ballon d'Or under his belt.
With the agreement already reached, all that remains is to complete the final procedures. The medical examination, the signing of the contracts and the official announcement will be the next steps before Rodri can officially wear the Barça shirt.
