Here is what Real Madrid had proposed to convince Rodri.

As Spain captain Rodri is reportedly undergoing his medical examinations with FC Barcelona, new information has emerged regarding Real Madrid’s involvement in the transfer saga. The Spanish midfielder, one of Manchester City’s biggest stars, had been on the radar of the Madrid club for several weeks, but he ultimately decided to join their biggest domestic rival.

Real Madrid had been closely monitoring Rodri’s situation and explored the possibility of bringing the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner to the Santiago Bernabéu. The Spanish international was viewed as an ideal reinforcement for the midfield, particularly because of his experience, tactical intelligence and ability to dictate the tempo of matches.

However, despite Madrid’s interest, Barcelona reportedly moved more aggressively in negotiations and are now on the verge of completing one of the biggest transfers of the summer.

According to several media reports, Barcelona have reached a full agreement to sign Rodri, with only the official announcement remaining. The Catalan club are reportedly set to pay Manchester City €60 million as a guaranteed fee, with a further €11 million in performance-related bonuses potentially taking the total value of the operation to €71 million.

But the most surprising revelation concerns Real Madrid’s initial approach.

According to the Spanish television programme El Chiringuito, Real Madrid submitted an opening offer of less than €40 million to Manchester City in an attempt to secure Rodri’s signature. That proposal was reportedly considered far too low by the Premier League club, which expected a significantly higher amount for one of the most important players in Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Manchester City therefore showed little willingness to negotiate on the basis of Madrid’s opening proposal.

Barcelona, by contrast, reportedly demonstrated a much stronger determination to complete the signing. The Catalan club were prepared to increase their financial commitment and move closer to Manchester City’s valuation of the player.

That difference in approach may ultimately have proved decisive.

Real Madrid apparently hoped that negotiations could be completed at a relatively advantageous price, while Barcelona chose to make a considerably more substantial investment to convince both Manchester City and Rodri.

For the Merengues, the situation could be particularly frustrating because Rodri would not only strengthen Barcelona but also join their greatest rival after having previously attracted serious interest from Madrid.

💰 "El REAL MADRID ofreció MENOS de 40 MILLONES por RODRI".

✍️ Información de @JuanfeSanzPerez en #ElChiringuitoEstreno en Energy. pic.twitter.com/7kleuLu3Fq

— El Chiringuito TV (@elchiringuitotv) August 17, 2026

The midfielder’s arrival would provide Barcelona with an elite option in the centre of the pitch and a player capable of controlling games at the highest level.

If the reported medical examinations are successfully completed, Barcelona are expected to move toward the final stages of the operation before officially presenting Rodri as their newest signing.

For Real Madrid, meanwhile, attention will now turn toward alternative midfield targets as the club looks to strengthen José Mourinho’s squad before the summer transfer window closes.

What initially appeared to be a battle between Spain’s two biggest clubs now seems to have ended firmly in Barcelona’s favour.