Barcelona tried to sign Rodri, now a Manchester City star, around nine years ago, back when the player was starting out at Villarreal in an episode dating to 2017.
These details have surfaced with Rodri's name back at the forefront of the transfer market, after Barcelona opened negotiations with a player who just hours earlier had looked close to joining bitter rivals Real Madrid.
Driving Barcelona's move is the need to cover the lengthy absence of Dutch midfielder Frenkie de Jong, who is recovering from injury.
According to the Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo", Barcelona had placed Rodri, then 21, among their options to eventually replace Sergio Busquets. The Catalan club acted too late, though. The player had already made significant progress towards returning to Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona acted too late in 2017
The story dates back to December 2017. Rodri was then a Villarreal player, having come up through Atletico Madrid's youth ranks, and he had begun to turn heads with his form for the Spanish side and Spain's under-21s.
Barcelona had tracked him for some time and saw in him the midfielder capable of one day succeeding Busquets, before making their moves to enquire about a possible signing.
Yet by the time Barcelona entered serious talks, Rodri had already given his initial agreement to return to Atletico Madrid. The deal was not officially announced until May 2018.
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Rodri had renewed his Villarreal contract until June 2022, with the release clause raised from 12 million euros to 25 million.
According to the Spanish newspaper, Villarreal raised that clause knowing several clubs wanted the player, Barcelona among them. That gave the club a greater chance of a high financial return upon his departure.
Rodri eventually moved to Atletico Madrid for 25 million euros: 20 million fixed, plus a further 5 million in variables and incentives.
From Atletico Madrid to Manchester City
It was not long before Rodri took his next step. Manchester City paid the 70 million euro release clause in his Atletico Madrid contract in the summer of 2019.
Since then, Rodri has become one of the most prominent pillars of the English side, reaching the peak of his career by winning the Ballon d'Or in 2024 alongside his triumph with Spain at the European Championship.
One year remains on his Manchester City contract, and Barcelona are keen to seal the deal after the player had been close to joining Real Madrid before the Catalans entered talks in force.
Complete the deal and move Rodri to Barcelona, and the Catalan club will have closed a circle that opened around nine years ago, when they first tried to sign the very same player to replace Busquets but moved too late.