The Sports Buff ⚽️ ⚾️ 🏈

Spanish champions Barcelona have agreed a £65 million fee for World Cup-winning midfielder Rodri, formerly of Spanish side Atletico Madrid. The 30-year-old, who has won the Balon d’Or, amongst other impressive accolades in his trophy collection.

Traditionally played at the base of midfield, the Spaniard is seen as one of the best in the world in his position. Signed to replace the popular Fernandinho, Rodri, in the five years since has gone on to make the position his own.

In a football world that’s blinded by football stats, Rodri might not be pleasing to the eye, but that’s not what the 30-year-old’s game is about. Quite simply, he does the simple things, well simply.

Some might be sceptical as to why the former Premier League champions want to sell. Let’s make this clear: they didn’t want to sell; Rodri wants a new challenge. City had offered a new contract, but the former Atletico man is now poised to join the Catalan giants.

Barcelona have offered a four-year deal after seeing several bids rejected, but the accepted £65 million bid is arguably the best for all parties. In the current market, a defensive midfielder is attracting a fee in the region of £100 million. Barca are getting a good player on the cheap, and City can argue they’re selling a player who had been getting several injuries, for a profit, who is in the final year of his contract.

Lille’s Ayoub Bouadi, who was outstanding for Morocco in the recently concluded World Cup and Chelsea bad-boy Enzo Fernandez have been linked as replacements for the outgoing World Cup winner.

One thing is certain: whoever the replacement is, he won’t come cheap.