Sofia Quijada
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Barcelona are considering a challenge to Real Madrid‘s pursuit of Rodri from Manchester City, while their separate bid to sign Julián Alvarez from Atlético Madrid has hit a wall.
City have not abandoned hope that Spain’s World Cup-winning captain will sign a new contract, having entered the final year of his deal, but the club is understood to be open to selling him for around £60m. Despite weeks of negotiations with Rodri and his representatives, Real have yet to reach an agreement, and Barcelona are now positioning themselves to capitalise on that delay. Barça registered their interest in the 30-year-old, who claimed the Golden Ball as the World Cup’s best player, following a knee injury to midfielder Frenkie de Jong that is expected to keep him sidelined for several months.
Read also: Real Madrid Complete Yan Diomande Signing in €140M Deal From RB Leipzig
Real Madrid, who have already agreed a club-record £115m fee for RB Leipzig‘s Yan Diomande, are also in contract extension talks with Vinícius Júnior to fend off interest from Arsenal. Signing Rodri on top of that may require player sales first. Aurélien Tchouaméni and Eduardo Camavinga are identified as possible departures, with Manchester United linked to both France midfielders.
Read also: Man City Ready to Fast-Track Bouaddi Into First Team With £80M Move From Lille
Rodri has undergone minor back surgery and will miss the majority of City’s pre-season schedule. City have signed Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116m and remain in talks with Lille over 18-year-old Morocco midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi.
Barcelona have pursued Alvarez all summer following Robert Lewandowski’s departure, but Atlético continue to maintain the Argentina striker is unavailable at any price. Barça’s sporting director Deco travelled to Madrid to meet Alvarez’s representatives. Attention now turns to whether the 26-year-old will report for pre-season training on Monday or push for a transfer. Arsenal are also monitoring his situation.
Ferran Torres, who scored the winner for Spain in the World Cup final against Argentina, has entered the final year of his Barcelona contract and is publicly waiting for the club to open extension talks.
“All I know is that I have to be in training for Barcelona on 12 August. Let’s see what happens,” Torres said. Asked what Barcelona needed to do to keep him, he added: “Show me they want me, come to negotiate.”
With multiple frontline signings still unresolved and key contract situations left open, Barcelona’s summer is far from settled. Stay with TipsGG for full coverage as these transfer stories develop.