Transatlantic Operation: From USA to Barcelona
The pursuit of Rodri began after the World Cup final in the United States. Joan Laporta, Deco, and Alejandro Echevarría were present during the semifinals in Dallas, where they witnessed Rodri lift the World Cup as captain and receive the MVP award for the final.
Barcelona knew that Real Madrid had a well-advanced operation with Rodri. Jose Mourinho's team needed a top-level midfielder, and Rodri could have signed with the club just after the World Cup. However, he preferred to wait until returning to Spain to play in LaLiga and consider joining Barcelona.
The Path to Barcelona
Real Madrid also had an advanced operation with City for 60 million euros, but Barcelona needed a solution. Rodri had to reflect on his future, and the negotiations dragged on. On July 27th, he underwent a minor back surgery to address some discomforts, providing him additional time.
During this period, Barcelona waited for Rodri's approval before negotiating with City. They wanted to ensure that Rodri preferred wearing the blaugrana. And that signal came yesterday to Barcelona: everything was in motion and accelerating.
Rodri's signing represents a significant reinforcement for the team, especially considering his experience and skills as a midfielder.
