Manchester City and Barcelona may compete in different leagues, but the two clubs have developed a fascinating connection in the transfer market over the past decade.
Several players have swapped the Etihad Stadium for Barcelona, ranging from young prospects looking for a breakthrough to Champions League winners arriving as established superstars.
Now, Rodri is set to become the latest name to make the journey. Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle with Manchester City for the Spanish midfielder, with the transfer expected to be completed after the remaining formalities.
If the deal goes through as expected, Rodri will become the sixth player signed directly from Manchester City’s men’s first-team setup by Barcelona. There is also one additional name worth including: Denis Suárez, who moved from City to Barça in 2013 but was initially signed for Barcelona B.
Here is the complete list.
Denis Suárez – 2013
Denis Suárez was the first player of the modern era to make the direct journey from Manchester City to Barcelona.
The Spanish midfielder had joined City from Celta Vigo as a teenager in 2011, but opportunities in the first team were limited. Two years later, Barcelona moved to bring him back to Spain.
Suárez officially joined Barça in August 2013 at the age of 19. However, unlike the other players on this list, he was signed for Barcelona B rather than immediately becoming part of the senior squad.
He made 36 appearances for Barça B during the 2013/14 season before continuing his development away from the club. Suárez spent time with Sevilla and Villarreal before eventually returning to Barcelona’s first team in 2016.
That distinction explains why Barcelona themselves did not count Suárez when they later described João Cancelo as the fifth player to join their first team from Manchester City.
Sergio Agüero – 2021
Few players arrived at Barcelona from Manchester City with a bigger reputation than Sergio Agüero.
The Argentine had already established himself as one of the greatest players in Premier League history during a remarkable decade at the Etihad. He left Manchester as City’s all-time leading goalscorer with 260 goals in all competitions.
After his contract with City expired in the summer of 2021, Agüero joined Barcelona on a free transfer, signing a deal that was originally due to run until 2023.
There was also an obvious attraction surrounding the possibility of Agüero playing alongside his close friend and Argentina teammate Lionel Messi. However, Messi unexpectedly left Barcelona for Paris Saint-Germain before Agüero had made his competitive debut for the Catalan club.
Agüero’s Barcelona career was ultimately extremely short. He made just five competitive appearances and scored once, memorably finding the net against Real Madrid in El Clásico.
He announced his retirement from professional football in December 2021 for medical reasons.
Eric García – 2021
Eric García’s transfer was different from Agüero’s because Barcelona was already familiar territory for the Spanish defender.
García developed in Barça’s famous La Masia academy before leaving for Manchester City in 2017. He progressed into Pep Guardiola’s first team in England but eventually decided against extending his contract.
Barcelona brought him home on a free transfer in the summer of 2021, shortly after completing the signing of Agüero.
His second spell at the club has lasted considerably longer. Although García spent the 2023/24 season on loan at Girona, he subsequently returned to Barça and became a valuable option because of his ability to operate at centre-back, full-back and in midfield.
By February 2026, García had reached 150 appearances for Barcelona, making him one of the most successful long-term members of this particular group.
Ferran Torres – 2022
While Agüero and García arrived without transfer fees, Barcelona had to make a major financial commitment to sign Ferran Torres.
Torres had joined Manchester City from Valencia in 2020 and made an immediate impression under Pep Guardiola. The Spanish forward scored 16 times in 43 appearances for City and won both the Premier League and League Cup.
Barcelona moved for him midway through the 2021/22 season. The permanent transfer was completed in December 2021, with Torres officially becoming available to Barça in January 2022.
The deal was worth around €55 million up front, with additional performance-related payments potentially increasing the total fee.
Torres went on to spend four and a half seasons in Barcelona. Despite periods of inconsistency, he collected seven major trophies with the club, including three La Liga titles.
His time at Barça came to an end in August 2026, when Barcelona reached an agreement with Paris Saint-Germain for his transfer.
İlkay Gündoğan – 2023
Barcelona once again took advantage of the free-agent market in 2023 to secure one of Manchester City’s most influential players.
İlkay Gündoğan left City immediately after captaining Pep Guardiola’s team to an historic treble, including the club’s first Champions League title.
With his Manchester City contract expiring, the German midfielder signed for Barcelona on a free transfer in June 2023.
Gündoğan instantly became one of Xavi Hernández’s most trusted players. He made 51 appearances in all competitions during his only season at the club, scoring five goals and providing 14 assists.
His stay in Catalonia proved surprisingly brief. In August 2024, Barcelona and Manchester City reached an agreement that allowed Gündoğan to return to the Etihad after just one season away.
It remains one of the more unusual examples on this list: Manchester City to Barcelona, followed by a direct return to Manchester City only 12 months later.
João Cancelo – 2023
João Cancelo followed Gündoğan from Manchester to Barcelona later in the same summer, although his move was structured differently.
After falling out of favour at City and spending the second half of the 2022/23 campaign on loan at Bayern Munich, Cancelo made his preferred move to Barcelona on deadline day in September 2023.
The Portuguese full-back joined on a season-long loan with no permanent purchase option included in the agreement.
Cancelo became an important attacking weapon for Xavi during the 2023/24 season. He played 42 matches in all competitions, scoring four goals and registering five assists.
He left Barcelona at the end of that loan spell, but the story did not end there. After subsequently playing in Saudi Arabia, Cancelo returned to Barcelona in January 2026.
However, it is his original 2023 loan that places him on this list as a player who moved directly from Manchester City to Barça.
Rodri – 2026
And now comes potentially the biggest move of them all.
Barcelona have reached an agreement in principle with Manchester City to sign Rodri, with the Spanish midfielder now expected to complete his move to the Catalan giants.
Reports place the value of the agreement at approximately €76.5 million, or around £65.4 million, while Rodri is expected to sign a four-year contract.
The move would bring an end to a hugely successful seven-year spell in Manchester.
Rodri joined City from Atlético Madrid in 2019 and developed into arguably the world’s outstanding defensive midfielder. He became central to City’s most successful period, winning multiple Premier League titles and playing a decisive role in their historic 2022/23 treble.
His defining Manchester City moment came in the 2023 Champions League final against Inter Milan, when he scored the only goal of the game to deliver the first European Cup in the club’s history.
Rodri’s individual status was further underlined when he won the Ballon d’Or in 2024.
If the remaining formalities are completed, the Spain international will become the sixth player to move directly from Manchester City’s senior team to Barcelona, following Agüero, García, Torres, Gündoğan and Cancelo.
Include Denis Suárez’s 2013 move to Barcelona B, and Rodri becomes the seventh player to make the direct journey between the two clubs.
Full List of Players Who Moved Directly From Manchester City to Barcelona
- Denis Suárez – 2013: Manchester City to Barcelona B
- Sergio Agüero – 2021: Free transfer
- Eric García – 2021: Free transfer
- Ferran Torres – 2022: Permanent transfer
- İlkay Gündoğan – 2023: Free transfer
- João Cancelo – 2023: Season-long loan
- Rodri – 2026: Agreement in principle, transfer pending completion
A Growing Transfer Connection Between City and Barça
The relationship between Barcelona and Manchester City extends far beyond these transfers.
Pep Guardiola’s legendary association with Barcelona has helped create a significant footballing connection between the two clubs, while several executives, coaches and players have worked on both sides.
The type of football traditionally associated with the two teams also helps explain why players can often fit naturally into both environments.
But Rodri’s prospective arrival would take that connection to another level. Unlike several previous arrivals who came on free transfers or loans, Barcelona are preparing to pay a substantial fee for a player who remains one of the most accomplished midfielders of his generation.
From Denis Suárez’s arrival for Barça B in 2013 to Agüero, Gündoğan, Cancelo and now Rodri, the route from Manchester to Barcelona has become a surprisingly well-travelled one.
