▲ Rodri
Rodri (30), widely recognized as the finest midfielder of this era, is expected to leave Manchester City and wear the jersey of Spanish powerhouse FC Barcelona.
The UK's BBC reported today (August 17) that Barcelona and Manchester City have reached an agreement over Rodri's transfer.
The transfer fee Barcelona will pay to Manchester City is around 65 million pounds (approximately 124.8 billion won).
Rodri is set to sign a four-year contract with Barcelona.
Having moved from Atletico Madrid (Spain) to Manchester City in 2019, Rodri is set to return to the Spanish La Liga stage after seven years.
Embarking on a new challenge when he joined Manchester City for a then-club-record fee of 62.8 million pounds, Rodri made 298 appearances over seven seasons, contributing to 13 major titles, including four Premier League (EPL) championships, two FA Cups, three League Cups, and one UEFA Champions League title.
Despite struggling with various minor and major injuries, he led Spain to their second-ever World Cup victory at the recent North and Central American World Cup and claimed the Golden Ball (Best Player Award).
Rodri is also the winner of the 2024 Ballon d'Or.
The BBC reported that while Real Madrid (Spain) was once heavily favored as Rodri's next destination, Barcelona's swift moves recently shifted the landscape of the race to sign him.
Meanwhile, Manchester City suffered a 3-0 defeat against Arsenal in the Community Shield, playing without Rodri in their matchday squad.
To fill the void left by Rodri, Manchester City is pursuing 18-year-old Moroccan midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who plays for Lille (France).
Bouaddi surprised fans by dominating the midfield in a group stage match (ending in a 1-1 draw) at the North and Central American World Cup against Brazil, a team boasting stellar midfielders like Casemiro.
Bouaddi started five of Morocco's six matches, contributing to their advance to the quarterfinals.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
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