Barcelona ready to pay £80m for Man City superstar; with £100m replacement already lined up by Pep
Barcelona is reportedly interested in signing Manchester City midfielder Rodri in the upcoming transfer window, and they are said to be prepared to pay £80m for him.
This development adds to the challenge faced by City manager Pep Guardiola, as he must not only find a replacement for departing midfielder Ilkay Gundogan, but also potentially for Rodri.
The task of replacing Rodri, who has been a crucial player for the team in recent years, is likely to be difficult.
In addition to the potential loss of these two midfielders, West Ham United is also reportedly keen on signing Kalvin Phillips at the end of the season, which means that Guardiola will have to bring in three new midfield players.
Rodri has been a crucial player for Manchester City since joining the team in 2019, making 185 appearances and contributing 15 goals and 14 assists under the guidance of Pep Guardiola.
His contributions have been instrumental in the team’s successes, which include two Premier League titles, two League Cups, and an FA Community Shield.
Despite his importance to the squad, it has been reported that the Spain international is interested in returning to his home country, making a move to Barcelona an attractive prospect for him.
As per the report by Football Insider, Barcelona is reportedly prepared to pay a substantial fee of £80m to secure the services of Rodri, as the team’s coach Xavi aims to reinforce their position at the top of LaLiga.
Although Rodri’s departure would be a significant loss for Manchester City, they have reportedly expressed interest in his ideal replacement: Declan Rice of West Ham United.
According to TEAMtalk, City is aggressively pursuing a deal for the England international, whose current contract with West Ham is set to end in June 2024.
Rice is said to have no intention of extending his contract, which means this summer may be the last opportunity for West Ham to receive a significant transfer fee for him.
A comparison of the statistics of Rodri and Rice reveals notable similarities in their performances this season, as both operate in the defensive midfield position.
Rodri has averaged 2.2 successful tackles per game this season, which is the same as Rice.
However, Rice has a better record when it comes to interceptions, with an average of 1.6 per match compared to Rodri’s 1.2. In terms of passing accuracy, Rodri has a higher rate of success with 91.2%, while Rice’s passing accuracy is still impressive at 89.1%.
Another significant advantage of Rice over Rodri is his age, as the Englishman is only 24, while Rodri is 26 years old.
This makes Rice a better long-term investment for Guardiola and Manchester City. It has been reported that West Ham United would require a fee of around £100m to sell Rice.
Therefore, if City were to sell Rodri to Barcelona for £80m, they would only need to spend an additional £20m to replace him with Rice, which could be a great business deal for the club.
Barcelona ready to pay £80m for Man City superstar; with £100m replacement already lined up by Pep
