Rodri Deal Down to £5m as Ferran Sale Clears the Way

The Rodri deal is close enough to touch. Barcelona and Manchester City are now separated by around £5m on the fixed fee, and the agreed sale of Ferran Torres to Paris Saint-Germain, worth close to €50m, gives the Blaugrana the financial room to close it, Mundo Deportivo reports. The catch is timing: with nothing signed, Rodri flew to England on Thursday and is due at Manchester City training later on Friday.

The numbers have crept together bid by bid. Barcelona opened at €45m plus €5m in add-ons, which City rejected out of hand, then returned with €55m rising to €65m, which was also turned down. Per Sky Sports, City will not sell for less than £60m (€70m) guaranteed plus variables, while Barça’s fixed offer has reached £55m (€64m). Neither side has put a figure on the bonuses that could bridge the rest.

What the Rodri deal still needs

Barcelona’s advantage is the player. The 30-year-old has committed to four seasons under Hansi Flick and has a year left at the Etihad, meaning City risk losing a World Cup winner for nothing next summer. But Barça Universal, citing Sky Sports’ Mark McAdam, reports that Rodri respects City’s valuation and is prepared to stay another 12 months if the Catalans will not meet it.

That leaves Barcelona weighing how far to stretch for a midfielder who could be free in a year, having already overtaken Real Madrid in the race and raised expectations accordingly. Enzo Maresca has made clear he expects Rodri back at training. All three parties still expect the Rodri deal to be done — the question is whether that last £5m is bridged before the 31 August deadline.