Barcelona finalizes Rodri deal, adds five new signings after a busy summer

Barcelona has reached a preliminary agreement to sign Manchester City midfielder Rodri for over €75 million.

Barça had previously failed with two offers for Rodri, but the reigning Spanish champions returned with a third bid last weekend, totaling €76.5 million (£65.3 million).

Sources confirmed to ESPN on Sunday that the two clubs have since reached an agreement. Barcelona and Man City are exchanging paperwork and finalizing the remaining procedures.

Rodri, 30, is expected to arrive in Barcelona in the coming days and could be unveiled before the Joan Gamper Trophy match against Al Ahly at the Spotify Camp Nou on Wednesday. Rodri won the World Cup with Spain this summer.

The deal for the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner came shortly after sources told ESPN that full-back Joao Cancelo is also set to return to Barça on a free transfer.

Cancelo and Rodri will become Barcelona's fourth and fifth new signings in a busy summer, following the arrivals of Anthony Gordon, Karim Adeyemi, and Jesse Bisiwu.

Barcelona is still searching for a striker. Atlético Madrid's Julián Álvarez is the top target after the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres.

Initially, Rodri was not a priority target for Barcelona early in the summer. However, the club quickly seized the opportunity after the midfielder became available on the market, following Spain's World Cup victory.

Frenkie de Jong's long-term injury also forced Barcelona to look for another midfielder. Real Madrid had also attempted to sign Rodri, who came through Atlético Madrid's academy. However, sources told ESPN last week that the player preferred a move to Barcelona.

After Rodri reached a personal agreement with Barça, the Catalan club pushed forward with negotiations with Man City. The English club was willing to sell the midfielder at a fair price, as Rodri's contract has only one year remaining.

Sources at Barcelona consider Rodri a statement signing, one that could help Hansi Flick's team, the back-to-back Spanish champions, reach new heights in the coming seasons.

After playing for Villarreal and Atlético Madrid, Rodri joined Man City in 2019. There, he has won nearly every major honor at both club and international levels.

With Man City, Rodri won four Premier League titles and one Champions League. With Spain, he also won the Euro and World Cup, and was named the best player of the tournament in both campaigns. Success at the Euro helped Rodri win the 2024 Ballon d'Or.