Real Madrid put on alert as Barcelona make contact with Man City heavyweight | OneFootball

In a major development, journalist Oriol Domenech on Catalunya Radio reports that Real Madrid’s fierce rivals FC Barcelona have officially made contact with Manchester City midfielder Rodri’s representatives.

The move by the Catalan club introduces late competition into the transfer race, occurring after Real Madrid had already established advanced negotiations and reportedly successfully reached a full agreement on personal terms with the 30-year-old Spain international.

Real Madrid hold the advantage

Despite the sudden interest from Catalonia, the Merengues remain in a very strong position to finalise the blockbuster transfer.

President Florentino Perez and head coach Jose Mourinho have prioritizsd the World Cup Golden Ball winner in recent days as an absolute elite target to anchor the team’s central core.

Madrid have already tabled a lucrative long-term contract proposal running until June 2030, which aligns cleanly with the player’s personal priorities.

Real Madrid are leading the race. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)

Rodri has frequently communicated his strong desire to return to his home city of Madrid, a crucial factor that should give the reigning European champions immense confidence as they prepare to open formal fee negotiations with Manchester City.

Barcelona’s injury blow triggers push

The sudden intervention from Barcelona stems directly from a midfield crisis at the Camp Nou. A major knee injury sustained by Frenkie de Jong during the World Cup has ruled the Dutch midfielder out of action for four months.

Facing an immediate shortage of top-level experience to anchor Hansi Flick’s system, the Blaugrana board has been forced to look at premium market opportunities, identifying Real Madrid’s primary target as an ideal solution.

Barcelona have enquired about the financial conditions of a deal, hoping to hijack Real Madrid’s attempt at the signing.

However, given Barcelona’s highly publicised salary cap constraints and their need for a new top striker, matching the financial package required by both Manchester City and the player remains a massive obstacle for the Catalan side.

Barcelona enter the fray. (Photo by Lewis Storey/Getty Images)

A three-way battle beckons?

With Rodri entering the final 12 months of his contract at the Etihad Stadium, Manchester City are preparing to evaluate incoming proposals to avoid losing him on a free transfer next summer.

Barcelona’s entry into the market, alongside active interest from PSG, creates a multi-club pursuit for the midfielder.

The French and European champions are angry with Real Madrid after losing the race for Yan Diomande and intend to complicate the pursuit of Rodri for the Merengues.

So, with a three-way transfer tussle seemingly on the horizon, it will be interesting to see where Rodri ends up.