Rodri has turned down a move to the Spanish record champions, according to his agent Pablo Barquero on radio station Cadena Ser.
"The offer was really good. We appreciated the professionalism, the class, the respect and the way Real Madrid conducted the negotiations. Real Madrid were seriously interested in signing Rodri and did everything they could to win him over. From the president to the managing director, everyone worked to make Rodri's move to Real Madrid possible," said Barquero.
Barquero described the talks with Los Blancos as "positive", but said the Spanish world and European champion had "decided in favour of another offer". He did not reveal which club had won the race. Consistent media reports suggest Real's arch-rivals Barcelona are set to get the nod.
On Thursday, Spanish newspaper Marca had already reported that Rodri had given his commitment to the officials of the reigning LaLiga champions, led by coach Hansi Flick, for a move in the current transfer window.
Barcelona must now take on the difficult task of reaching an agreement with Manchester City, where Rodri is under contract until 2027. Marca reports a transfer fee of at least €50 million, while AS says Barcelona would probably have to send around €60 million to England if the deal goes through.
Getty ImagesBarcelona must agree transfer fee with Manchester City
Disappointment had reportedly already started to spread at Real even before the reports emerged. Madrid were receiving more and more signals from Rodri's camp that he preferred Camp Nou to the Bernabeu. Los Blancos had allegedly been trying for several weeks to sign the Spanish world champion captain. Rodri showed no sign of extending his deal with the Sky Blues, which made a departure in the current transfer window an increasingly realistic option for the English club.
Barcelona's style of play also worked in their favour in the pursuit of Rodri, as it is clearly geared towards possession. Real, even under new coach Jose Mourinho, are more likely at times to rely on transition play. At the Catalan club, unlike at Real, Rodri would also link up with numerous team-mates with whom he won the World Cup title this summer.
There is also a need for him in Barcelona's midfield. Frenkie de Jong is out for a longer period with a knee injury, and Rodri could fill that gap.
For the transfer to work from Barcelona's point of view, though, the club must first sell players to generate the necessary financial resources, according to The Athletic. This summer, Barcelona have already invested around €100 million in Anthony Gordon (Newcastle) and Karim Adeyemi (Dortmund).