The race is on! Barcelona plots sensational hijack for Rodri as Man City star develops 'doubts' over Real Madrid

The race for Rodri's signature has taken a dramatic turn as Barca prepare to launch a hijack attempt for the City midfielder general. While Real Madrid have long been considered the frontrunners for the World Cup-winning captain, reports from SPORTsuggest that the Etihad giants are now confident an official offer from the Camp Nou is imminent.

Real Madrid began formal negotiations for the former Atletico Madrid man around ten days ago, with president Florentino Perez giving his full approval to secure the deal, per The Sun. However, despite the initial momentum, no agreement has been reached between the two clubs.

Adding fuel to the fire is the suggestion that Rodri himself is harbouring reservations about a potential move to Real Madrid. The report claims that the midfielder feels that his technical style would be better suited to the footballing philosophy at Barcelona rather than the Jose Mourinho's system.

While the allure of the Blaugrana is strong, the primary obstacle for Barcelona remains their delicate financial situation. Beyond the significant transfer fee required to prize him away from Manchester, club officials are concerned that fitting his substantial salary within the league-mandated wage cap could prove difficult.

Despite the swirling rumours, new City boss Enzo Maresca has remained composed regarding the future of his key midfielder. The Italian tactician is focused on the player's immediate health, as Rodri has successfully undergone surgery on a back issue following his recent World Cup triumph.

"We have to say that around big players there are always speculation. I'm not worried about that, it's normal," Maresca said. "They won the World Cup and he was one of the best players. Every manager wants to have Rodri, but now surgery. He needs to rest and recover, and then he will be back here with us."

The manager's public stance reflects a desire to keep the focus on the pitch, even as the board navigates complex interest from the two biggest clubs in Spain. Rodri remains a vital component of the City machine, and while his future is the subject of intense debate, his immediate priority is returning to full fitness.

The financial terms of any potential deal remain a sticking point between the parties involved. Manchester City are said to be holding out for a fee in the region of £56m for the midfielder, whereas Los Blancos have thus far indicated they are only prepared to offer a maximum of £43m.

Rodri enters the new campaign as a World Cup winner but is also coming off a season where his involvement was somewhat limited by persistent hamstring and groin injuries. These fitness concerns, combined with his post-surgery rehab, mean any interested suitor will have to carefully weigh the risks against the obvious benefits of signing one of the world's premier holding midfielders.