The agent of Manchester City midfielder Rodri has confirmed that his client has decided to join Barcelona over Real Madrid.

The Spain international is now said to have informed Real Madrid that he’s now making Barca his priority despite being so strongly linked with Los Blancos for much of the summer.

Want more CaughtOffside coverage? Add us as a preferred source on Google to your favourites list for news you can trust

See below for Rodri’s agent’s quotes, as first reported on Spanish radio show El Larguero and translated by Fabrizio Romano on his X page…

??? BREAKING: Rodri’s agent confirms he’s picked Barcelona over Real Madrid.

“Out of respect for Madrid, as they have been class, Rodri informed them that his decision is to join Barça”, quotes from his agent Barquero reported by @ellarguero.

Personal terms, 100% agreed. ????? pic.twitter.com/JIwONCN8lC

— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) August 7, 2026

It seems Rodri’s agent was keen to pay tribute to how Madrid have handled the saga, calling them “class” and showing them respect despite the decision to go for Barcelona instead.

If this all goes through as expected, it should prove a fantastic signing for the Catalan giants, while it’s also a big blow for Real.

Rodri’s incredible career with Manchester City

It’s also a blow for Man City to be losing someone as important as Rodri, with the 30-year-old showing at this summer’s World Cup that he’s still probably the best player in the world in his position.

Rodri has won four Premier League titles during his time at the Etihad Stadium, and also scored the winning goal in the Champions League final victory over Inter Milan in City’s famous 2022/23 treble-winning season.

It won’t be easy for City to replace this experienced and intelligent leader on the pitch, though they’ve done well to invest in the signing of Elliot Anderson in midfield.

Overall, though, one imagines that new City manager Enzo Maresca would have preferred to keep Rodri as well, in what could be a challenging season ahead for the Sky Blues.

With Pep Guardiola stepping down as manager, and other experienced stars like Bernardo Silva and John Stones also leaving, it’s going to be a team with a totally new feel to it in the 2026/27 campaign ahead.