Rodri is closer than ever to a move to Barcelona.
According to "Sport", talks between the Catalan club and Manchester City are gathering pace after Barcelona lodged a third offer for the Spain international.
With the two clubs edging towards agreement, another factor is driving the deal along: the world champion genuinely wants to join Barcelona.
Fabrizio Romano, the transfer market expert, reports that Rodri is in near-daily contact with several of his Spain team-mates at Barcelona. He swaps messages with them, spelling out his desire to wrap up the move as quickly as possible.
The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner shares a special bond with those players. That personal connection was also one of the factors behind his decision to back the Barcelona project.
None of this is straightforward, yet Rodri knows the Barcelona dressing room well. He plays alongside a large part of the side's core with Spain, among them Eric Garcia, Dani Olmo, Pau Cubarsi, Lamine Yamal, Joan Garcia, Gavi, Pedri and Fermin Lopez.