A Ballon d’Or Winner Heads to Catalonia
Manchester City confirmed the departure of Rodri to Barcelona in late August, closing the book on one of the most influential midfield careers in the club’s history. With only a year left on his contract and no extension agreed, City ultimately accepted Barcelona’s third approach after knocking back opening bids of £40m and £55m.
The final fee was reported at £65.4m, rising to around €76.5m with add-ons, for a player who won four Premier League titles and the Champions League at the Etihad, was part of Spain’s World Cup-winning squad, and picked up the Ballon d’Or in 2024. He has signed a four-year deal at Camp Nou.
Rodri’s exit is one of several senior departures this summer at City, alongside John Stones and Bernardo Silva, both of whom left on the expiry of their contracts as Enzo Maresca reshaped the squad following Pep Guardiola’s departure.
Five Games, Five Wins, Zero Panic
Rather than exposing a hole in midfield, City have started the season perfectly — five wins from five in the league, the division’s only unbeaten record, and top of the table on goal difference. Erling Haaland has been City’s spearhead, leading their scoring charts, while the collective goals-for and goals-against numbers remain the best in the league.
It’s a striking early return for a squad that also had to absorb Maresca’s first months in the job after Guardiola’s exit, and one that suggests City’s transition has been smoother on the pitch than the summer’s headlines might have implied.
Sunderland pushed City’s defence closer than anyone else this season in Matchweek 5, but even an eight-goal thriller at the Etihad ended with City still unbeaten.
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