Barcelona set to snatch Rodri from Real Madrid’s hands
The World Cup winner looked set to join Madrid before having his head turned by Barca
Dubai: Just as Real Madrid thought they had got their man, fierce rivals Barcelona swooped in and have now become favourites to sign Ballon d’Or winner Rodri.
The midfielder has been high on Madrid's list of priorities for several years, with Los Blancos making no secret of their admiration for one of football’s most elite players.
As Rodri entered the final year of his contract at Premier League giants Manchester City, Madrid ramped up their interest.
Coming off the back of lifting the World Cup trophy as captain of the Spanish side, the former Atletico Madrid man looked set to add to what has been an already impressive summer window for the 15-time Champions League winners.
However, the deal began to drag on without a final signature, a delay that allowed Barcelona to exploit.
With growing concerns over Frenkie de Jong's fitness, Barcelona showed their interest in Rodri.
The Dutch midfielder continues to struggle with a persistent injury, with conservative treatment failing to deliver the desired results.
As a result, reports suggest De Jong is now increasingly likely to require surgery, prompting the Catalan giants to explore potential replacements in midfield.
In doing so, Rodri appears to have had his head turned by Barcelona's interest.
His agent later revealed that the midfielder had chosen the Catalan club over Real Madrid, saying: "Out of respect for Madrid, as they have been class, Rodri informed them that his decision is to join Barca," he told Spanish radio programme El Larguero.
Although the Spanish captain is open to the move, an agreement is still some way off, with Barcelona and Manchester City only at the early stages of negotiations.
After already strengthening their squad this summer with the signings of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund, the Catalan giants know any deal will require a significant financial outlay, with City expected to hold firm on their €50 million asking price.
