•Rodri poses with a jersey bearing his name during his official presentation as FC Barcelona’s new player in Barcelona, today
Spain’s World Cup-winning captain Rodri said he was ready to “feel that excitement again” after completing his move to Barcelona from Premier League side Manchester City today.
In a statement on their website, the La Liga champions said the 30-year-old has signed a deal that will run until 2030, bringing an end to one of the longest-running transfer sagas of the summer.
After two failed bids, Barca and Man City reached a deal on Sunday, which a source from the English club told AFP would go up to 76.5 million euros ($88.6 million), including bonuses.
Rodri then arrived in the Catalan capital the following day to thresh out personal terms with his new club.
“I’m very happy and excited about this new stage in my career,” Rodri said during his unveiling on Tuesday.
“It’s a fresh challenge, a chance to experience new things and feel that excitement again.”
After seven trophy-laden years at Man City, the former Atletico Madrid and Villarreal player was reported to be close to joining Real Madrid, before finally opting for their arch-rivals.
The midfielder has struggled with injuries over the past two seasons but shone as Spain won their second World Cup in North America last month.
Despite Barca’s recent dominance of La Liga, they have failed to lift European club football’s biggest trophy since 2015, when the club’s star-studded attack of Lionel Messi, Neymar and Luis Suarez fired them to their fifth Champions League title.
“It’s a pleasure to be at Barca. I’ll give 100 percent of everything I have,” Rodri said.
“I’m here to compete for everything, for big things like the Champions League.
“I’ve come to a hugely ambitious club that really suits my personality, so I’ll try to help in every way I can to achieve our objectives this season.”
To help him achieve these goals is a Camp Nou dressing room replete with familiar faces from Rodri’s Euro 2024 and World Cup successes with Spain, including Lamine Yamal, Pedri and Dani Olmo.
He will also join up with new teammates, widemen Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi, after the pair joined Barcelona earlier in the close season.
One of Pep Guardiola’s most trusted lieutenants at City, Rodri said he believed his new coach at Barcelona, Hansi Flick, would “bring a lot to my career”.
“(Flick has) a style that I think is somewhat different from what I’ve experienced before, so it will be enriching and help me grow as a player,” he added.
Rodri was a vital figure for Guardiola during their time together at the Etihad Stadium, leading City to the 2023 Champions League and four Premier League titles among 12 major trophies.
“I am leaving the club with a huge sense of pride about what we have achieved and gratitude too for so many amazing memories,” Rodri said in a statement on City’s website.
“What we have done together in these years is something both very special and unforgettable.”
