Manchester City tighten the noose on Rodri and Barcelona | Goal.com
Barcelona are edging closer to signing Manchester City star Rodri, though all parties are treading carefully with no final agreement in place.
The Catalans have already lodged their second offer for the player, while City are holding out for 80 million euros.
Spanish newspaper Sport carried comments from City boss Enzo Maresca, who said: "At the moment, it seems that Rodri will be in Manchester next Wednesday."
The remark reflects the player's contractual situation. Until the move is fully settled, Rodri remains a City player and must stick to the club's existing schedule.
Maresca's stance makes sense. The Italian is protecting his team's interests and counting on the player for as long as he officially belongs to the Manchester City squad.
What happens over the coming hours is another matter entirely, should Barcelona and City tie up the last details in negotiations that gathered pace over the weekend.
Inside Barcelona, recent days have been spent taking extra steps towards bringing the player in.
The Catalan club want to push the Rodri deal through as fast as possible, so the new signing can slot into Hansi Flick's system without delay. The manager wants him almost immediately.
Flick's goal is to have Rodri at the Joan Gamper sports city by 12 August, a date that demands everyone move quickly if they want the player in training without further hold-ups.
None of this means the agreement is done. Sources close to the talks urged calm last Friday, precisely because a few issues still need resolving before the deal can be considered complete.
Maresca's comments, then, should not be read as a shift in the picture or an obstacle to the transfer. They simply describe where things stand right now.
Once the final green light arrives, the moment will come for Rodri to say goodbye to Manchester and head for Barcelona.
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