No Longer Unknown, Rodri is a Barcelona Player; Transfer Fee Remains a Secret

FC Barcelona has officially announced the signing of Rodri, the captain of Spain's World Cup-winning squad and a former player for Manchester City. The Catalan club confirmed the acquisition of the 30-year-old midfielder, who has signed a contract that runs until June 30, 2030.

The transfer marks the end of a significant summer saga, with Rodri moving back to his home country. He had one season remaining on his contract with Manchester City. While Barcelona has not disclosed the financial details of the high-profile transfer, English and Spanish media reports suggest the fee ranges between 70 and 80 million euros.

Upon his arrival in Barcelona on Monday evening, Rodri shared his feelings: "I am very happy to have returned to my homeland. The last few days have been very intense, but my dream was to play for Barcelona." He added, "I can't wait to join my teammates. I know many of them from the national team, it's time to get to work and give our all."

Rodri was a key player for Manchester City, joining them in 2019 from Atlético de Madrid. He made 298 appearances for the club, winning 12 trophies, including the Champions League in 2023 and four Premier League titles. He also won the FA Cup twice. Real Madrid had also shown serious interest in the player, but Rodri ultimately chose Barcelona. Before his move to England, he played for Villarreal and Atlético Madrid in Spain from 2015 to 2019. He has also scored four goals in 70 appearances for the Spanish national team, being part of their victorious squads at the recent World Cup and the European Championship two years prior in Germany.