Rodri is desperately hoping Barcelona can agree a fee with Manchester City by Friday so that he does not have to return to England.
The 30-year-old has his heart set on a move to Camp Nou after opting to join the defending La Liga champions and snub interest from their arch-rivals Real Madrid.
Rodri is believed to be house hunting in Catalonia but is expected back at the Etihad Training Campus on Friday to enable City medics to assess his fitness following a minor back operation.
Spain’s World Cup-winning captain would rather remain in Barcelona and avoid a trip back to Manchester but that depends on whether the two clubs can agree a fee.
Barca have offered around £43million for the former Atletico Madrid midfielder but City are holding out for nearer £60m even though he has now entered the final year of his contract.
Reports in Spain suggest the two clubs will likely settle for a fee somewhere in the middle although City are acutely aware of Barca’s need to get the deal done after president Joan Laporta publicly announced the club had agreed personal terms with the player.
Rodri a priority for Barcelona as Real Madrid strengthen
Rodri’s signing is seen as key for the Catalans if they want to retain the title they have won in each of the past two seasons, and especially with Real Madrid likely to be revitalised following the return of Jose Mourinho as coach and a summer of heavy recruitment at the Santiago Bernabeu.
Madrid have brought in the likes of Denzel Dumfries, Ibrahima Konate, Marc Cucurella and club-record signing Yan Diomande as well as renewing winger Vinicius Jr on a new, long-term contract.
Barca have been quiet in comparison with Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi their only major acquisitions.
They are also waiting on news of midfielder Frenkie De Jong’s knee injury with reports suggesting the club are getting increasingly frustrated with the Netherlands international.
De Jong returned from the World Cup with a partial tear of a meniscus cruciate ligament but wants it to heal with rest and rehabilitation. Barca, though, want him to undergo surgery as they feel that would lead to a quicker recovery period.
That has led to an uncomfortable stand-off with De Jong’s method showing little sign of progress.
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