Barcelona close in on Manchester City midfield general with €70 million ceiling on fee – report | OneFootball

FC Barcelona are tightening the net around Rodri.

Working closely with the player’s representatives, the Catalan club have returned with a new series of proposals designed to reach an agreement with Manchester City without exceeding the financial limits they has set for the operation.

There are several possible structures on the table, but Barcelona’s position is clear: they do not want to go beyond €70 million in total, reports SPORT.

The La Liga champions are prepared to offer €60 million or €65 million in guaranteed payments, plus performance-related bonuses, as they considers that the fairest final proposal.

That valuation is also close to the figure the Cityzens had been prepared to accept during its previous discussions with Real Madrid, rather than the €80 million initially demanded from Barcelona.

The two clubs are getting closer

Barcelona and Manchester City have been negotiating continuously for several days, and the gap between their respective positions is narrowing.

Deal getting closer. (Photo by Michael Regan/Getty Images)

There is growing optimism inside Barça that an agreement can be reached, although it could still take several more hours or perhaps another day or two to resolve the final details.

The intention on all sides is to complete the transfer before the end of this week.

Rodri would already have liked to be in Barcelona and training alongside his fellow Spain internationals, but the deal has not been completed quickly enough.

The next target is to ensure that he does not have to return to Manchester on Friday, when he is currently scheduled to undergo medical tests and begin preparations for the new season.

If the transfer is not officially completed by then, it is considered highly likely that Manchester City will allow him to stay away, particularly if negotiations have reached the final stage.

A star contract for a star signing

Rodri already has an agreement in principle with Barcelona covering four seasons, including a top-level salary.

His arrival would immediately place him among the three highest-paid players in the squad.

Rodri has agreed a four-year contract at Barça. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)

The financial terms reflect his status as the Ballon d’Or winner and the standout player at the World Cup, as well as the salary he currently earns at Manchester City and the renewal proposal he had previously received from the English club.

Barcelona sporting director Deco and his Man City counterpart Hugo Viana remain in constant contact as both clubs work toward the final agreement.

The Catalans have always maintained that they would not overpay for Rodri, particularly because his contract expires at the end of the season.

Barcelona therefore considers a package worth up to €70 million, including bonuses, to be a fair valuation.

The structure most likely to bridge the remaining gap could be €65 million guaranteed plus €5 million in relatively easy-to-achieve bonuses linked to collective titles.

With the numbers now moving closer together, Barcelona believes the final breakthrough could come at any moment.