Spain's Rodri is on the verge of officially joining Barcelona, and the former Manchester City player has already settled on the number he wants to wear with the Catalan side.
Barcelona have finalised their agreement with Manchester City to sign Rodri. An official announcement is expected in the coming hours. According to matching reports, the Catalans agreed to pay 60 million euros as a fixed fee, plus 16 million in incentives and variables. The player will sign a four-season contract worth more than 13 million euros net per year, making him one of the highest earners in the squad.
Italian journalist Fabrizio Romano reports that Rodri asked Barcelona star Fermin Lopez to give up the number 16 shirt, the number the midfielder wore throughout his career with Manchester City and the Spanish national team.
Fermin Lopez agreed to change his number, Romano added via his account on the X platform, and is preparing to wear the number 7 shirt. That paves the way for Rodri to keep his iconic "16" at Barcelona.
Barcelona are expected to confirm Rodri's number during the official announcement. Every indication points to the Spanish midfielder wearing the number 16 shirt in his new chapter at the "Spotify Camp Nou".