Manchester City have been left frustrated by the pace of negotiations with both Barcelona and Real Madrid over the World Cup winner, with neither club coming close to matching a valuation in the region of £70m.
Real Madrid's reluctance to meet that price ultimately saw Rodri favour a move to Camp Nou instead, though talks with Barcelona have proven similarly difficult: the Catalan club have made two offers so far, with one described as "derisory" by those involved in the discussions.
City are willing to let the long-serving midfielder fulfil what is understood to be a personal ambition to play in Spain again following his World Cup triumph this summer, but only for an acceptable fee, with the club in the process of reshaping its midfield regardless of whether Rodri leaves.
Rodri has been at City since 2019, when he arrived from Atlético Madrid, and has since made himself one of the most influential midfielders in Europe, winning the Ballon d'Or last year on the back of City's continued domestic dominance and his own performances at the base of the midfield.
The saga is also affecting the timeline of a separate deal: City remain in talks over Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, who Chelsea value at £120m, with manager Enzo Maresca pushing for the move, but City are not expected to fully progress that deal until Rodri's future is resolved.
The two situations have become increasingly intertwined, with City reluctant to commit fully to Fernandez while a domino departure involving Rodri remains unsettled, and with the club keen to avoid overcommitting financially before knowing exactly how much incoming money the Rodri sale will generate.
Chelsea had set a 5pm deadline on Friday for City to bid for Fernandez or risk missing out entirely, though there is a sense that sufficient progress has been made in talks to keep the move alive beyond that point.
With two major midfield deals now effectively linked by City's stance on Rodri, the coming days are likely to prove decisive for both negotiations, with City hopeful that Barcelona will move closer to their valuation before deadline day arrives.