Real Madrid tried until the end to convince Rodri not to join FC Barcelona. According to The Athleticwhen the Madrid leaders understood that the Spanish midfielder was seriously approaching Barça, they asked certain players as well as people close to Rodri to contact him directly in order to ensure that he was still convinced by the Madrid project. A last minute attempt which was not enough: after having seemed close to Real for a long time, the 30-year-old had already made his choice and wanted to join Barcelona. The Madrid club, however, believed that they had presented him with a convincing offer, both sportingly and financially, after changing their position on him thanks to his excellent World Cup.
Rodri would have favored Barça in particular for its style of play, which he considered closer to that practiced with Manchester City and the Spanish selection. Hansi Flick also spoke with him several times, while Deco met discreetly with the player at the end of July on the Costa Brava before another decisive meeting in Madrid on August 5. Despite attempts by Real and those around him to change his mind, Rodri stuck to his decision. Barcelona then negotiated with Manchester City, going from an initial offer of around €45 million plus bonuses to a deal worth up to €76.5 million.
