The full story behind Rodri's transfer from Real Madrid to Barcelona has come to light in a fresh report, detailing how Real Madrid failed to secure the midfielder even though the Manchester City star had grown up dreaming of wearing the famous white shirt.

According to a report published by Marca, Rodri had been waiting for years for his opportunity to join Real Madrid. On two occasions, however, circumstances took him in a different direction. The first was in 2019, when he left Atletico Madrid for Manchester City. The second came in the summer of 2026, when he opted to join Barcelona instead.

A missed chance dating back to 2019

Marca reported that during his spell at Atletico Madrid, Rodri waited until the very last moment in the hope that Real Madrid would come in for him before he completed his move to Manchester City. But the Spanish giants never acted. At the time, they already had Toni Kroos, Luka Modric and Casemiro in midfield, and Rodri eventually chose to trigger his release clause and sign for Pep Guardiola's side.

That move turned out to be the defining moment of his career, the report said, with Guardiola helping the Spain midfielder reach his highest level.

Real Madrid were not fully convinced

Real Madrid supporters wanted Rodri to arrive this summer. But according to Marca, the club's hierarchy did not share that same level of certainty.

The situation shifted after the midfielder's brilliant World Cup campaign. With Rodri entering the final year of his contract and Pep Guardiola no longer at Manchester City, a transfer became a real possibility. But Real Madrid's push came late and lacked total conviction. Rodri sensed that.

Bombshell

Marca disclosed what it described as a bombshell, a line reportedly repeated by figures inside the halls of Valdebebas: "Rodri slows the pace of the ball down too much, and that is not what we are looking for."

The report added that Real Madrid's decision-makers were looking for a midfielder with greater dynamism and power. That assessment came despite Rodri ending the World Cup with a remarkable record: no player had completed more passes in a single edition of the tournament, while his pass completion rate was above 93%.

A major difference in the way both clubs negotiated

The newspaper stated that Florentino Perez and Jose Angel Sanchez did make contact with Rodri. However, the process never developed beyond that stage, unlike the kind of major transfer operations Real Madrid are usually known for.

Barcelona, on the other hand, made an all-out effort to persuade the player. Deco, club president Joan Laporta and head coach Hansi Flick all spoke with him. Several Barcelona players also got in touch, underlining just how strongly the Catalan side wanted to complete the signing.

Money was not the deciding factor

Marca stressed that finances were not the key issue, because the offers made by Real Madrid and Barcelona were very similar.

What ultimately convinced Rodri was Barcelona's sporting project. He felt it closely resembled the style used by world champions Spain, and he saw a side with a settled structure and a clear footballing identity. Real Madrid's project, by contrast, appeared to him to still be going through a period of instability, which did not suit a 30-year-old player.

Contact and five attempts

Marca concluded by revealing that once Rodri had made his final decision, he personally called Jose Angel Sanchez to thank the Real Madrid board for the respect shown to him throughout the negotiations. He then waited for Barcelona to reach a final agreement with Manchester City. The Premier League club only approved the transfer after five separate attempts.

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