Barcelona are moving ever nearer to finalising the signing of Rodri from Manchester City, with Mundo Deportivo reporting that the midfielder’s switch to Catalonia is now entering the closing stages.

Importantly, the key part of the operation has already been wrapped up.

Barcelona and Rodri have already reached an agreement on the player’s contract, which means the final major obstacle before the transfer can be made official is the negotiation between the two clubs.

Those discussions have advanced significantly, with the difference between Manchester City’s asking price and Barcelona’s opening offer now having narrowed considerably.

At present, only minor issues remain to be sorted out before the clubs can exchange paperwork and move into the formal signing process.

Rodri’s agreement with Barcelona has been in place for several days, so the player’s decision is no longer the main factor delaying the transfer.

Barcelona have an agreement with Rodri.

The attention is now centred instead on the final transfer fee to be agreed between Barcelona and Manchester City.

That marks an important step for the Catalan side, with Barcelona having worked to make the deal feasible despite the financial demands involved.

Manchester City had initially placed a far higher valuation on their midfielder than Barcelona were willing to meet. Even so, talks have continued, and both clubs have now closed much of that gap.

As a result, the deal has moved beyond the stage of merely assessing whether a transfer was possible.

Instead, negotiations are now in the final stretch, with only a few details still standing in the way of an official announcement, which is why Rodri’s move to Barcelona is increasingly appearing realistic.

The timing of a possible transfer is also becoming more and more significant for Hansi Flick, who wants certainty over his squad before the new La Liga season begins, and having Rodri available in the early part of preparations would be a major lift for him.

Rodri could be on his way to Barcelona.

Flick could even have the midfielder available to him as early as this week if the remaining details are settled quickly.

That would give Rodri the chance to start working with his new teammates and begin adjusting to the German coach’s tactical requirements.

At the same time, though, there is still a small complication.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has indicated that Rodri is expected back in England this week when City return to training.

That suggests the transfer may not be officially completed straight away, despite the positive progress made in negotiations.