Rodri Hernández has chosen to join Barcelona, prioritizing a move to the Catalan club over their bitter rivals Real Madrid in a dramatic twist to one of the summer transfer window’s biggest sagas.
Pablo Barquero, the Manchester City midfielder’s agent, confirmed that his client personally informed Real Madrid’s hierarchy of his decision out of respect for how professionally the club conducted negotiations.
“Out of respect for Real Madrid, who behaved impeccably throughout the process, Rodri informed them that his decision is to join Barcelona,” Barquero stated, as reported by Spanish radio network Cadena SER.
Barcelona have reached a full agreement with the Spanish international on personal terms. Rodri’s choice was reinforced following direct talks with manager Hansi Flick, who convinced him of his pivotal role within Barcelona’s sporting project.
Real Madrid had entered serious talks to sign Rodri following Spain’s triumph at the 2026 FIFA World Cup, submitting a financially lucrative proposal. However, the holding midfielder favored Barcelona for footballing reasons, citing tactical compatibility with their possession-based style and his existing chemistry with several Spanish national team teammates already in the squad.
Despite Rodri’s green light, the transfer is not yet complete. Barcelona must now negotiate a fee with Manchester City, where the midfielder remains under contract until June 2027 with no release clause included in his deal.
The overall transfer fee is estimated to fall between €50 million and €60 million. Should Barcelona navigate the financial hurdles and convince Manchester City to part ways with one of their most vital players, Rodri is expected to sign a four-year contract at Camp Nou.
