- Barcelona held a series of private meetings that convinced Rodri to prioritize a move over Real Madrid. Here's how the deal unfolded.
The private meeting that changed everything
Barcelona have managed to hijack the Rodri deal from their rivals, Real Madrid, by agreeing to personal terms with the player after a series of discreet meetings happened under the leadership of Barcelona's sporting director, Deco. Barcelona is accelerating talks with Manchester City to get the midfielder's departure sanctioned as soon as possible. Spanish outlet SPORT has revealed these meetings and influential figures who led the discussion with the player's entourage.
Rodri was in Catalonia at the end of July to attend the wedding of one of his close allies, Barca's sporting director, who had already contacted the player’s camp to inquire about the financial aspect of the deal and decided to take advantage of the player’s presence in Catalonia.
Deco managed to get time to meet the player in person in a well-known five-star hotel in Barcelona. The meeting was deliberately kept private to avoid media attention while negotiations remained at an early stage.
The Portuguese-Brazilian sporting director met the midfielder in person and explained the project to the player in detail. The meeting was two and half hours long, which was pivotal in the Rodri saga. After that meeting, the World Cup winner changed his mind about joining Real Madrid and decided to prioritize Barca as his next destination.
Hansi Flick joins the discussions
Barca’s German manager, Hansi Flick, involved the Spaniard in the discussion with multiple phone calls to convince him of being a fundamental part of the Barcelona project.
After the meeting, Deco and Hansi Flick kept contact with the player to show their intention to sign him as a priority. Last Tuesday, Deco met his agents in Madrid, which fuels the deal forward after the first meeting.
After a series of discussions, the player informed Barcelona management, confirming that the project presented by Deco and Flick had convinced the player and that the deal was taking a decisive step forward.
Barcelona's trusted figures influence the deal
One of the influential figures in the deal was Dani Codina, who is the head of player services in Barcelona. Codina worked with Rodri in Manchester City and shares a close relationship with the player. He utilized the connection to convince him to make a move, while Rodri's Spanish teammates, who play for Barcelona, also played a crucial role.
Barcelona management was able to keep the negotiations and contacts discrete to protect the strategic move behind the scenes; news came out only after the player’s entourage opened the doors for a move.
Manchester City negotiations continue
Club-to-club talks with Manchester City are ongoing. Catalans submitted an initial bid of €45 million, which was rejected by the city, and they keep insisting on their €80 million valuation for the player who has 1 year left on his contract. Barcelona is hoping to get the player's signature for a lower fee than €80 million.