Manchester City have accepted Barcelona’s bid for Rodri. The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner and World Cup-winning captain is heading back to Spain after seven seasons in England.
The fee and the terms
According to Sky Sports and the Associated Press, City have accepted an offer worth £65.4m. Rodri has agreed a four-year contract with Barcelona, and the move is expected to be completed in the coming days.
The 30-year-old had a year left on his deal at the Etihad. City wanted him to extend, but he would not commit, leaving the club with a choice: sell now or lose him for nothing in twelve months. According to reports, a phone call from Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick proved decisive — and it took the Catalan club’s third offer.
What he leaves behind in Manchester
Rodri joined City from Atlético Madrid in 2019 for £62.8m. Across seven seasons he became the foundation of the side, and in 2024 he collected the Ballon d’Or. This summer he captained Spain to the World Cup title.
He leaves at an awkward moment. A day earlier City lost the Community Shield 3-0 to Arsenal in Cardiff — Riccardo Calafiori scored after 24 seconds, with Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard adding to it. Asked about Rodri afterwards, City manager Enzo Maresca answered briefly: every team needs a player like him.
Who City put in his place
The fee is meant to fund a replacement. The most advanced situation is Ayyoub Bouaddi of Lille, though reports describe that as a separate deal, not tied to Rodri’s exit. Interest in Enzo Fernández also persists, despite Chelsea’s deadline passing on Friday without a bid. The window shuts on 1 September, so City still have two weeks.
What it means for FPL
Start with the part that will surprise many people: Rodri was never an option in this year’s game anyway. He appears as “Rodrigo”, costs £6.5m, carries a note about a back injury with no known return date, and is owned by 0.1 per cent of managers. Our engine rates him 60 with a Risky verdict. His departure therefore changes nothing in any sensible squad.
The significance is indirect, and it is about whose minutes open up in midfield. The numbers are worth a look, because Manchester City have five players in our top ten:
- Semenyo — £8.5m, rated 90, owned by 27.1%
- Haaland — £15.5m, rated 89, owned by 71.8%
- Elliot Anderson — £6.5m, rated 88, owned by 10.1%
- Guéhi — £6.0m, rated 88, owned by 21.1%
- O’Reilly — £6.5m, rated 88, owned by 21.7%
Anderson is the interesting one. City’s record signing, priced at £6.5m in the game, rated 88 by our model — and owned by only one manager in ten. Rodri’s exit means space opens in midfield for exactly that kind of player.
One honest caveat: until we see Maresca’s first competitive line-ups, this is a projection rather than a certainty. The window is open until 1 September and City may still buy. The full list is in our AI rankings.
Reporting verified against Sky Sports, the Associated Press, Forbes and Goal. Price and ownership data come from the official FPL game, ratings from our own engine — as of 17 August 2026. The transfer has not yet been formally announced by the clubs; we will update this article once it is confirmed. This article was produced with the support of AI tools. Fantasy PL Edge is not affiliated with the Premier League or the Fantasy Premier League game.