Maresca Doesn't Rule Out Rodri's Barcelona Move: Anything Can Happen

Manchester City has reportedly rejected an initial £38.5 million bid from the Spanish champions for the midfielder, who celebrated a World Cup title with the Spanish national team this summer. The 30-year-old Rodri has just one season remaining on his contract with the Citizens. According to media reports, City is demanding approximately £68 million for Rodri.

“First and foremost, we’ve already stated that the transfer window is open. We can buy and sell players, so anything can happen. I just saw Rodri in the club building, I hugged him, and he looks good, so we’ll see what happens,” Maresca told AFP at Friday’s press conference ahead of Sunday’s Community Shield match against Arsenal.

Rodri joined Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019. Under former manager Pep Guardiola, he won multiple Premier League titles and the Champions League in 2023. He subsequently won the European Championship with Spain in 2024 and was also awarded the Ballon d'Or for 2024, though a serious knee injury sidelined him for a significant portion of the 2024/25 season.