Barcelona are making progress to signal Manchester Metropolis midfield star Rodri this summer season switch window.
It appeared for fairly just a few weeks just like the Spaniard was headed to Actual Madrid, however the Catalan membership have overtaken them to get the participant’s permission.
His settlement with Barça has sparked loads of debate and now, former Actual Madrid striker Fernando Morientes has weighed in on the saga.
Slightly than specializing in why the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder selected Barcelona, Morientes argued that Actual Madrid had been by no means actually decided to signal him.
Morientes rejects the “Rodri turned down Madrid” narrative
Talking on El Partidazo de COPE (h/t SPORT), Morientes dismissed the suggestion that Barcelona beat Actual Madrid to one of many largest signings of the summer season.
“It looks as if a really unhealthy joke to me,” the previous striker stated.
“These of us who know the way this works are conscious that Actual Madrid by no means actually needed Rodri at any level,” he continued.
He additionally questioned the rising narrative that Rodri rejected Los Blancos in favour of Barcelona.
“They’re treating us like fools after they say Rodri rejected Actual Madrid,” he revealed.
If Florentino needed him
Morientes believes the story is now being introduced in a method that shifts accountability away from Madrid.
“Now they cross the new potato to the participant by saying he needed to signal for Barcelona,” he stated.
He additionally made a robust assertion on Florentino Perez.
“If Florentino Perez had needed him, this signing wouldn’t have slipped away,” he concluded.
Morientes believes Barcelona’s success in convincing Rodri had much less to do with beating Madrid and extra to do with the Spanish champions deciding to not pursue the cope with full conviction.
Barcelona’s undertaking proved convincing
Morientes can say what he needs, however Barcelona have achieved their half.
Deco and Hansi Flick introduced Rodri with a sporting project that appealed to him, whereas the midfielder additionally noticed Barcelona’s possession-based model as a pure match for his recreation.
The Catalans additionally reached an settlement on private phrases earlier than intensifying talks with Manchester Metropolis, exhibiting how a lot groundwork had already been accomplished behind the scenes.
Whether or not Madrid actually stepped away or just misplaced the race is one thing solely these concerned will know.
What is obvious, nevertheless, is that Barcelona have satisfied one of many world’s most interesting midfielders to purchase into Flick’s long-term imaginative and prescient.
The result stays clear: the membership are on the verge of securing one of many largest signings of the summer season and of their current historical past.
