Barcelona step up Rodri pursuit in transfer battle with Real Madrid

The Catalan giants have already strengthened their squad this transfer window with the arrivals of Anthony Gordon from Newcastle United, Karim Adeyemi from Borussia Dortmund and highly rated Belgian teenager Jesse Bisiwu from Club Brugge. 

They also remain focused on securing Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez as the long-term replacement for Robert Lewandowski.

Barcelona's search for a midfielder has gathered pace after Frenkie de Jong suffered a medial collateral ligament injury that is expected to keep him out for an extended period.

Reports in Spain claim the La Liga champions have begun assessing whether a deal for Rodri is possible and have already held discussions with people close to the player. While there has been no formal breakthrough, Barcelona are keeping a close watch on the situation as they consider a move for one of Europe's leading midfielders.

Rodri is believed to be interested in Barcelona's sporting project under Hansi Flick. The club's style of play and the atmosphere within the dressing room are said to appeal to the midfielder, who already knows many of Barcelona's players from the Spain national team.

Although that does not guarantee a transfer, it gives Barcelona hope that they could convince Rodri if they are able to put together a competitive financial package.

Real Madrid, meanwhile, remain firmly in the race. The Madrid giants have also identified Rodri as a priority signing and continue to work on a deal for the Manchester City star.

Barcelona's biggest obstacle is likely to be the financial demands of the transfer. Along with agreeing a fee with Manchester City, the club would also need to meet the wage expectations of the Ballon d'Or winner.

After gradually improving their financial position, Barcelona are now in a stronger position to compete in the transfer market, but signing Rodri would still represent one of their biggest investments in recent years.