Report: Three reasons why Rodri rejected Real Madrid in favour of Barcelona | OneFootball

Real Madrid were in negotiations to sign Manchester City midfielder Rodri for quite some time, and it looked like they would eventually close the deal.

However, Barcelona emerged out of the blue and leapfrogged Los Blancos to convince the Spaniard of Hansi Flick’s project.

The 30-year-old’s decision to reject Real Madrid and move closer to joining Barcelona continues to dominate headlines.

According to SPORT, citing information from Ramon Alvarez de Mon, Rodri raised three concerns during discussions with Real Madrid that are believed to have influenced his final decision.

Rodri questioned Real Madrid’s commitment

Rodri’s first concern was the timing of Real Madrid’s interest.

After years of being linked with the club, the midfielder wondered why Los Blancos had only made a serious move now.

Furthermore, president Florentino Perez was also said not to be fully convinced of signing the 30-year-old, and the hesitation left the Manchester City superstar questioning how much Real Madrid actually wanted him.

Rodri had several concerns about Real Madrid. (Photo by Michael Steele/Getty Images)

Dressing-room concerns also surfaced

Another issue reportedly discussed during the meeting was the atmosphere inside the Real Madrid dressing room.

Rodri had heard there were internal problems within the squad and sought clarification from the club’s hierarchy during face-to-face talks.

Los Blancos are said to have addressed those concerns, but it does seem like the Spaniard was not convinced enough to proceed with the move.

Barcelona’s project tipped the balance

Despite those reservations, the report insists Rodri remained open to joining Real Madrid and that personal terms were not viewed as a major obstacle.

However, the situation changed once Barcelona entered the race, and in serious fashion.

The midfielder is said to have been attracted by Flick’s project, Barcelona’s playing style and the familiarity of a dressing room containing several of his Spain teammates.

Headed to Barcelona. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

As Real Madrid focused on completing other key pieces of business, including Yan Diomande’s arrival and Vinicius Jr.’s contract renewal, Barcelona accelerated negotiations and moved into pole position.

The dynamics between Barça and Real Madrid always mean that this Rodri deal would be made out to be much bigger than it actually is.

However, for the Merengues, the main issue with missing out on the Spaniard is the fact that he is exactly the profile the current squad are lacking.

In the absence of Rodri, Jose Mourinho will now need to analyse whether there are any other midfielders in the market who can replicate a similar profile to the 30-year-old.

The next few weeks will reveal whether Los Blancos move for a new midfielder or decide to trust the current squad at least until January.