The Full Cost of Potential Rodri Deal Explains Barcelona’s Hesitance

Despite securing the player’s preference, Barcelona have plenty of work to do to land Rodri.

Barcelona’s move for Rodri is far from completion. | Mike Egerton/PA Images/Getty Images

Talks between Barcelona and Manchester City over World Cup winner Rodri are set to drag on a little while longer, with a report in Spain detailing the full extent of the finances needed to sign the midfielder.

City are believed to be demanding as much as $94.5 million (£70 million) to part ways with Rodri, laughing off Barcelona’s second bid of $69.3 million (£51.3 million) and making it clear that they are not going to lose their superstar World Cup winner on the cheap.

Despite being alone in a one-horse race for Rodri’s signature, Barcelona are struggling to get a deal over the line. While the distance between the two sides’ valuations of Rodri is not particularly wild, a quick look at the full cost of the package needed to sign him may explain part of the difficulties.

According to AS, when all the extra expenses like salary and commission are taken into account, Barcelona are looking at a commitment to Rodri worth a total of $242 million over a four-year contract.

For a player who recently turned 30 and has recently had issues with injuries, that is clearly a mammoth expense and one which forces Barcelona to proceed with caution.

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Barcelona Need Exits Before Being Able to Strike Blockbuster Deals

Ferran Torres is likely to be next to leave. | Ivan Terron/Europa Press/Getty Images

While Barcelona are back on La Liga’s 1:1 spending rule—the ability to spend €1 for every €1 raised—their financial issues still require some tricky navigation.

Affording the package for Rodri is not the primary problem. Instead, it is finding the space under La Liga’s salary cap to register any new signings. Neither Anthony Gordon nor Karim Adeyemi have been allocated squad numbers yet, suggesting they are the latest new arrivals to be left in registration limbo.

To make space for new signings, Barcelona need to rid themselves of some of their current salary commitments. Ronald Araújo’s loan exit to Liverpool was significant in that respect and will have had a major impact on the budgets, but it will not be enough by itself.

Ferran Torres’s impending move to Paris Saint-Germain is another that will offer substantial help, but with Gordon and Adeyemi still awaiting registration and Barcelona also planning a much-needed move for a new striker, it may not be enough.

The likes of Héctor Fort and Marc Casadó are expected to follow suit. Winger Roony Bardghji was likely to depart in some capacity before his ACL injury.

Any extra financial freedom should allow Barcelona to finalize deals for Rodri and any other targets, but they may be facing a race against time before the transfer window closes.

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