Barcelona are preparing another attempt to sign Rodri as negotiations with Manchester City move towards a decisive stage.
The Catalan club have made the Spain captain their main midfield target after he expressed a desire to return to La Liga.
Rodri has also chosen Barcelona over Real Madrid, despite the latter spending much of the summer positioning themselves for a move.
However, Manchester City have refused to lower their demands significantly during negotiations.
Barcelona first offered €45 million before returning with an improved €60 million proposal. City rejected both bids and continue to value Rodri at around £70 million.
According to The Independent, Barcelona are now preparing a third offer worth around £60 million for the Manchester City midfielder.
That proposal would still leave them approximately £10 million short of City’s valuation. City remain willing to let Rodri fulfil his ambition of returning to Spain after his World Cup success.
However, the Premier League club have grown frustrated with how both Barcelona and Real Madrid approached negotiations.
Real Madrid eventually dropped back in the race, while Rodri chose Barcelona as his preferred destination.
Barcelona now need to close the remaining financial gap if they want to complete the deal. The negotiations also directly affect Manchester City’s pursuit of Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez.
Enzo Maresca wants Fernandez as part of his midfield rebuild, but City do not intend to fully proceed until they settle Rodri’s future.
Chelsea have set a 5pm Friday deadline for interested clubs to complete a Fernandez deal.
However, enough progress has reportedly taken place in those talks to keep the possibility alive beyond that deadline. Barcelona therefore face pressure to improve their offer quickly.
Their third bid will test Manchester City’s stance and could determine whether Rodri finally secures his preferred move to the Camp Nou before the new season begins.
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