Rodri picks Barcelona as Flick's phone call changes transfer race

Barcelona have won the race for Rodri. According to Spanish insider Gerard Romero, the Manchester City and Spain central midfielder has agreed to join the Catalan club. The decisive factor was Hans-Dieter Flick's personal involvement. The Barcelona head coach called Rodri directly, and that conversation convinced the player to believe in the project. Financial terms are reportedly already settled. Barcelona made a formal bid of €60 million a few weeks ago. The offer was enough for Manchester City's leadership, so the transfer depended entirely on the player's decision. For a long time, Real Madrid looked like the main contender for Rodri. But according to AS, Madrid's leadership put those talks on hold to focus on another target: RB Leipzig striker Yan Diomande. That delay opened the door for Barcelona. While Madrid hesitated, the Catalans moved quickly, held negotiations, and secured Rodri's commitment to a move to Camp Nou. Rodri, remember, was named the best player at the 2026 World Cup.