Rodri on the home stretch! Ai can finally stop putting him in Barcelona shirts
The image generators can slowly be switched off and their overheated graphics cards finally given a rest. After weeks of rendering Rodri in Barcelona’s home shirt, away shirt and probably several kits that do not even exist, reality is finally beginning to catch up with the internet.
According to AS, Rodri is expected to arrive in Barcelona on Monday to complete the final details of a four-year contract. Manchester City have accepted the offer, the player had already agreed personal terms, and only the paperwork, medical examination and official club announcements remain. The transfer is not official yet, but this time Barcelona are waiting for signatures rather than another round of negotiations.
Rodri is scheduled to undergo his medical on Tuesday. Barcelona will supplement those tests with the results of examinations carried out in England after he returned to Manchester City. This is an important part of the process because the midfielder underwent minor back surgery following the World Cup. The operation is not expected to threaten the move, although it could delay his debut and require a cautious return to full training.
Provided the documents do not disappear into one of the many mysterious drawers at the club’s offices, Barcelona could announce the signing on Tuesday. The presentation is being planned for Wednesday, alongside the 61st edition of the Joan Gamper Trophy. Barcelona will face Al-Ahly at the Spotify Camp Nou and present their squad to the supporters before the new season.
The Athletic reports that the guaranteed fee will be €60 million. Manchester City could receive another €16.5 million in bonuses, with around €11 million described as easily achievable. The real cost of the deal is therefore likely to exceed €70 million even if every condition is not triggered.
An agreement was not reached immediately. City rejected two previous Barcelona bids before the clubs finally found common ground on Sunday evening. Rodri was determined to return to Spain and chose Barcelona’s project despite interest from Real Madrid and Paris Saint-Germain.
The midfielder was reportedly attracted by the team’s established playing style and the presence of several Spain teammates. He will be reunited with Pedri, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Pau Cubarsí, Eric García and Joan García. Ferran Torres will not be there. His transfer to Paris Saint-Germain for around €50 million helped make the Rodri operation possible. One Spain international left, another is coming in, and Barcelona’s finances briefly discovered a sense of rhythm.
Barcelona are signing the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, Spain’s World Cup-winning captain and a player who spent seven seasons at the heart of Manchester City’s midfield. Rodri made 298 appearances for the English club, won 12 major trophies and scored the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final.
Only the medical, signatures and official photographs remain. AI can finally stop guessing what Rodri will look like in a Barcelona shirt. Although, knowing the internet, it will immediately move on to generating Julián Álvarez.
