Manchester City have today rejected an initial bid of £38.5 million from Barcelona for Spanish midfielder Rodri.

Many are anticipating that the Spaniard will make a move this summer with his contract expiring at the end of next season.

The club that was most tipped to make a move for the 30-year-old was Real Madrid, with several reports emerging that they were confident of coming to an agreement.

However, it is their La Liga rivals Barcelona who have made the first bid for the player, with it now being reported that the Catalan club is Rodri’s preferred destination.

The two negotiating clubs are far apart in valuation for the time being, with Man City demanding an offer over £60 million to consider selling the World Cup winner.

With Barcelona also in a high-profile pursuit of Atletico Madrid’s Julian Alvarez, the Camp Nou side may need set their transfer priorities straight before proceeding with signing the Manchester City player.

Rodri is currently recovering from back surgery that he underwent last month but is expected to join his team-mates in Manchester for pre-season training.

The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner was a crucial part of Spain’s World Cup winning side this summer, winning the tournament’s Golden Ball award for best player.