Manchester City have agreed to sell Rodri to Barcelona for £65.4m, with the 30-year-old set to undergo his medical on Tuesday ahead of the move.
The deal marks a major shift for City, who wanted Rodri to stay and sign an extension despite the fact he had one year left on his contract. Rodri has been central to one of the most successful periods in the club's history, helping them win four Premier League titles and the Champions League.
Barcelona's pursuit of the Spain World Cup winner gathered pace last week. Their initial offer, believed to be in the region of £40m, was turned down, and a second bid of £55m was also rejected before the clubs eventually settled on the larger agreement.
What happened next
Rodri returned to Manchester City's training ground on Friday, but he was not involved in the 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal on Sunday. With the medical now lined up, the move appears close to completion.
The transfer also fits into a busy summer for Manchester City in central midfield. This summer they broke the British transfer record to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m, and they have also agreed a deal to sell Tijjani Reijnders to Al Qadsiah for around £51m.
That activity suggests City are already reshaping the midfield group around the next stage of the squad. Interest in Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi has also been mentioned as part of that focus, underlining how much attention the position is getting at the club this summer.
For Barcelona, the attraction is obvious. Rodri brings top-level experience, big-game pedigree and the kind of control that can change a midfield. As Enzo Maresca has said, all teams need a player like Rodri. Barcelona now appear ready to make him part of their own rebuild.
