Barcelona signs Spain captain Rodri from Man City

The 30-year-old midfielder has signed a contract with Barcelona until 2030 after completing his medical examination and the final transfer formalities, the Spanish club announced Tuesday.

A person familiar with the deal said Barcelona agreed to pay 76.5 million euros ($88.5 million) for Rodri. The person spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because the financial details had not been officially released.

Rodri arrived in Barcelona on Monday and described the move as a dream.

“Very happy to arrive,” he told reporters. “For me it’s a dream to play for Barcelona. I’m excited about being with my teammates, many of them I already know. Now it’s time to get to work and give my best.”

Rodri will reunite with several Spain teammates at Barcelona, including Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Pau Cubarsí, Gavi and Pedri. He played a key role as Spain won its second World Cup title and was named the tournament’s best player.

Real Madrid had also reportedly shown interest in Rodri, who had previously spoken highly of the club. However, Spanish media reported that the Madrid side failed to reach an agreement with the midfielder.

Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019 and went on to become a central figure in the English club’s midfield. He scored the winning goal in City’s 2023 Champions League final victory over Inter Milan and won the Ballon d’Or the following year after helping Spain win the European Championship.

His departure is another blow to City’s midfield following Bernardo Silva’s move to Real Madrid during the offseason.

Rodri had one year remaining on his City contract before completing his move to Barcelona. He did not feature in City’s 3-0 loss to Arsenal in the Community Shield on Sunday as he continued recovering from minor back surgery following the World Cup.

Barcelona, meanwhile, are seeking a third consecutive La Liga title and have continued strengthening their squad. The club have also signed England forward Anthony Gordon and are expected to bring in defender Joao Cancelo.

Gordon is expected to help fill the attacking void created by the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, who scored the winning goal in extra time in the World Cup final against Argentina, reports UNB.