Rodri joins La Liga champions Barcelona from Manchester City

AFP
By AFP August 18, 2026 08:14 (EAT)
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Rodri joins La Liga champions Barcelona from Manchester City

Rodri during celebration of Spain as Champions of the FIFA World Cup 2026 on 20 July 2026 at Cibeles Palace in Madrid, Spain - Photo Oscar J Barroso / Spain DPPI / DPPI (Photo by Oscar J Barroso / Spain DPPI / DPPI via AFP)

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Barcelona on Tuesday announced the signing of Spain's World Cup-winning captain Rodri from Premier League side Manchester City.

In a statement on their website, the La Liga champions said the 30-year-old has signed a deal that will run until 2030, bringing an end to one of the longest-running transfer sagas of the summer.

According to reports on Sunday, Barca and Man City reached a deal to complete the transfer of the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner for a fee of around 75 million euros ($87 million).

Rodri then arrived in the Catalan capital the following day to thresh out personal terms with his new club.

After seven trophy-laden years at Man City, the former Atletico Madrid and Villarreal player was reported to be close to joining Real Madrid, before finally opting for their arch-rivals.

The midfielder has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons but shone as Spain won their second World Cup in North America last month.

Rodri was a vital figure for Pep Guardiola at City, leading them to the 2023 Champions League and four Premier League titles among 12 major trophies.

"I am leaving the club with a huge sense of pride about what we have achieved and gratitude too for so many amazing memories," Rodri said in a statement on City's website.

"What we have done together in these years is something both very special and unforgettable."

Rodri becomes Barcelona's third high-profile arrival this summer, following on from Anthony Gordon from Newcastle and Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund.

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