Rodri has only one year left on his contract with Manchester City, and his future has become one of the biggest talking points in the transfer market. The 30-year-old midfielder has attracted strong interest from Real Madrid. However, Barcelona have now entered the race for the Spain international and are reportedly leading their rivals in the battle for his signature.
According to several reports, Rodri would rather join Barcelona than move to the team managed by Jose Mourinho. Even so, the Catalan club must still reach an agreement with Manchester City over a transfer fee before any deal can be completed.
According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca sees Enzo Fernandez as his dream replacement if the club fail to keep Rodri, who recently helped Spain win the 2026 FIFA World Cup. Reports say Maresca built a strong relationship with Fernandez during their time together at Chelsea, making the Italian coach believe the Argentine midfielder would be the perfect player to strengthen City’s midfield.
However, signing Fernandez will not be easy. Chelsea still consider the 2022 World Cup winner a key part of their long-term plans. The London club value him very highly and have no intention of selling him to a direct Premier League rival, even if they receive a big offer.
Besides Manchester City, Fernandez has also been linked with Real Madrid. The Argentina international is under contract with Chelsea until the summer of 2032.
Alongside their interest in Fernandez, Manchester City are also working on a move for Lille’s young midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. This deal is seen as a more realistic option because Chelsea remain determined to keep Fernandez.
Although Bouaddi is only 18 years old, Lille reportedly value him at around £85 million. The high price reflects both his huge potential and his impressive performances over the past year. Many believe he has everything needed to become one of the world’s best midfielders in the future. However, Lille president Olivier Letang hopes to keep the teenager for at least one more season before considering a sale.
Even if Manchester City manage to sign Bouaddi, replacing a player of Rodri’s quality would be a huge challenge for the young midfielder. Because of this, Enzo Maresca is still expected to prefer bringing in an experienced midfielder who can immediately become a key player if Rodri leaves the Etihad Stadium.
