As if it were an intelligence operation: how did Deco execute a secret plan to snatch the deal of the century from Real Madrid? | Goal.com

Published on 07 Aug 2026 | Reading time: 3 minutes

Barcelona have made a decisive breakthrough in the race to sign Spain's Rodri. The Manchester City midfielder found himself at the centre of talks conducted almost entirely away from the spotlight, a process marked by extraordinary secrecy that let the Catalan club reroute a deal which had looked closer to Real Madrid.

Catalan newspaper Sport revealed the details of those decisive hours. Barcelona moved quietly behind the scenes, with all parties keen to prevent any leak that might threaten the agreement at a time when Real Madrid held the advantage. Then the picture changed suddenly.

The start of the shift

The turning point goes back to Thursday 30 July. Barcelona's sporting director Deco ended a short break in Croatia and was supposed to travel directly to England to join the team's camp ahead of the new season.

Instead, the Portuguese official took a different decision. He first returned to Barcelona and stayed there for more than a day before joining the squad, a move that raised eyebrows within the club, especially with Hansi Flick and the coaching staff already in England preparing for the friendlies.

That return was no passing matter. Deco dedicated his time to a hugely important meeting on a transfer file the club's management described as strategic, having already begun initial contacts with Rodri's representatives to sound out the terms and the chances of getting it done.

A secret meeting that changed Rodri's calculations

According to Sport, Barcelona asked everyone involved to observe the utmost secrecy and avoid any leak that might derail the negotiations. The club knew exactly how sensitive the tug-of-war with Real Madrid had become.

Rodri happened to be in Catalonia at the end of July, attending a wedding on the Costa Brava. That occasion opened the door for a direct meeting between the player and Deco.

The pair met at a luxury hotel, where the meeting ran for around two and a half hours. Deco laid out the details of the club's sporting project and the role awaiting Rodri in the team, alongside Flick's technical vision and the player's importance to Barcelona's midfield over the coming years.

It worked. The player's stance shifted clearly, having previously looked destined for Real Madrid. Rodri had listened to the Royal club's offer and held talks with them, but he never gave his final agreement before sitting down with Deco.

Flick enters the picture

Deco's meeting was only the start. Hansi Flick played a direct role in trying to convince the player, making several calls in which he explained his technical vision and the leadership role he wanted Rodri to fill.

Barcelona's management judged that direct contact between coach and player was essential at this stage. The competition with Real Madrid was fierce, and landing the deal meant showing just how determined the club were to sign one of the best midfielders in the world.

A hidden card

Sport also revealed an important role played by Dani Codina, Barcelona's head of player services. His name never surfaced in the negotiations, yet he did much to bring the two sides closer.

Codina's value stems from his previous relationship with Rodri during his time at Manchester City. The pair grew close there, and that bond helped create an atmosphere of trust and comfort in the talks.

He was one of the people who helped arrange the secret meeting between Rodri and Deco. He also strengthened the player's sense of attachment to the Catalan project.

The decisive moment

Over the following days, contacts continued between Barcelona and the player's representatives amid total media silence. Then the awaited moment arrived last Thursday, when the club took a call from those close to Rodri confirming the project had convinced the player and that talks had reached an advanced stage.

A series of calls and secret meetings had done the trick. Barcelona were now close to completing the deal, having turned the equation around and shoved Real Madrid off the advantage they had held only days earlier.

Only the final touches remain. Barcelona see the deal as a strategic step to rebuild their midfield through a player of great experience and leadership, and its success would land a heavy blow on Real Madrid's ambitions of signing one of the most prominent midfielders in the world.

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