Will Rodri join Barcelona?

Analysis

Rodri has given Barcelona permission to negotiate with Manchester City. His talks with Real Madrid have gone cold, and reports say he is picking Barcelona over the Bernabéu. That is a player who has made up his mind. What is holding this up is money, not desire. City have knocked back three separate bids in the 50 to 60 million euro range, calling them too low. They want something closer to 60 to 70 million pounds. That is a normal opening skirmish in a transfer saga, not a sign the deal is dead. With roughly three and a half weeks left before the window shuts, there is time for City to extract a fee closer to their valuation and get this over the line. They are already lining up a replacement in midfield, which suggests they are planning for life without him. The two biggest hurdles, a rival suitor and a reluctant player, appear to be gone. What is left is a gap in valuation, and clubs bridge those gaps all the time in August. Watch for whether City's search for a replacement accelerates in the next week. That is usually the clearest signal a sale is close.