Barcelona are believed to have made contact with Rodri's representatives, and with the Spain midfielder reportedly open to a return to La Liga, the question is becoming increasingly intriguing: will the World Cup winner be wearing white or blaugrana when he eventually comes back to Spain?
Following Frenkie de Jong's knee ligament injury, which is expected to sideline the Dutchman for several months, Barcelona have been linked with the Manchester City midfielder. According to RMC Sport, the club have already made contact with Rodri's representatives as they explore options to reinforce Hansi Flick's midfield ahead of the new campaign.
It is not just Barcelona keeping tabs on the Spain international with the Spain captain in hot demand. Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid are also monitoring the situation, while Manchester City remain determined to tie one of the world's best midfielders down to a new long-term contract as he approaches his final year with the Premier League team.
Why do Barcelona want him?
Simply put: he is the best at what does, his position and influence on a game.
Following his impressive performances at the FIFA World Cup, where he won the Golden Ball as the tournament’s best player, he is globally viewed as the perfect technical midfield anchor. A Sergio Busquets next gen with Pedri or Gavi and Fermin Lopez or Dani Olmo in front of him. The perfect Spanish midfield that many of these players wanted to replicate from their childhood memories of Busquets, Xavi and Iniesta.
The appeal is obvious. Rodri would bring the control and balance Barcelona have lacked in recent seasons. Too often, the Blaugrana midfield has pushed too high, leaving large spaces for opponents to exploit on the counter-attack. A fully fit Rodri would address that problem immediately, shielding the defence while dictating the tempo in possession. His ability to break an opposition press, recycle possession under pressure and launch attacks from deep is exactly the profile Barcelona have been missing, particularly in the biggest domestic and European fixtures.
Real Madrid vs Barcelona
Rodri is reportedly open to returning to La Liga for both footballing and personal reasons, with a move back to Spain allowing him to be closer to his family while competing for domestic honours once again. Although he was born in Madrid, he came through Atlético Madrid's academy, meaning he spent his formative years on the opposite side of the city's fierce rivalry with Real Madrid.
That has not stopped speculation surrounding a move to the Santiago Bernabéu. Real Madrid continue to be heavily linked with the Manchester City midfielder, and despite his Atlético roots, reports persist that Los Blancos are working behind the scenes on a deal to bring the World Cup-winning midfielder back to the Spanish capital.
Also, a fee of €80million may prove to be a stumbling block for the Catalans. A Barcelona answer looks dependent if Madrid back out and Barcelona can work a deal to suit all parties, with no progression on the negotiations as of yet.
It is down to the relationships paved at the World Cup, and with the national team prior, that could see Agent Pedri or Agent Eric Garcia work their magic. Let's hope he choose Barcelona over Real Madrid!
Add us as a preferred source on Google