Barcelona are making progress to sign Manchester City midfield star Rodri this summer transfer window.
It looked for quite a few weeks like the Spaniard was headed to Real Madrid, but the Catalan club have overtaken them to get the player’s permission.
His agreement with Barça has sparked plenty of debate and now, former Real Madrid striker Fernando Morientes has weighed in on the saga.
Rather than focusing on why the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder chose Barcelona, Morientes argued that Real Madrid were never truly determined to sign him.
Morientes rejects the “Rodri turned down Madrid” narrative
Morientes is clearly not happy with Rodri. (Photo by Carl Recine/Getty Images)
Speaking on El Partidazo de COPE (h/t SPORT), Morientes dismissed the suggestion that Barcelona beat Real Madrid to one of the biggest signings of the summer.
“It seems like a very bad joke to me,” the former striker said.
“Those of us who know how this works are aware that Real Madrid never really wanted Rodri at any point,” he continued.
He also questioned the growing narrative that Rodri rejected Los Blancos in favour of Barcelona.
“They’re treating us like fools when they say Rodri rejected Real Madrid,” he revealed.
If Florentino wanted him
Morientes believes the story is now being presented in a way that shifts responsibility away from Madrid.
“Now they pass the hot potato to the player by saying he wanted to sign for Barcelona,” he said.
He also made a strong statement on Florentino Perez.
“If Florentino Perez had wanted him, this signing would not have slipped away,” he concluded.
Morientes believes Barcelona’s success in convincing Rodri had less to do with beating Madrid and more to do with the Spanish champions deciding not to pursue the deal with full conviction.
Barcelona’s project proved convincing
Barcelona are yet to reach an agreement with Man City for Rodri. (Photo by Justin Setterfield/Getty Images)
Morientes can say what he wants, but Barcelona have done their part.
Deco and Hansi Flick presented Rodri with a sporting project that appealed to him, while the midfielder also saw Barcelona’s possession-based style as a natural fit for his game.
The Catalans also reached an agreement on personal terms before intensifying talks with Manchester City, showing how much groundwork had already been completed behind the scenes.
Whether Madrid truly stepped away or simply lost the race is something only those involved will know.
What is clear, however, is that Barcelona have convinced one of the world’s finest midfielders to buy into Flick’s long-term vision.
The outcome remains clear: the club are on the verge of securing one of the biggest signings of the summer and in their recent history.
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