Barcelona have taken a significant step in their pursuit of Manchester City midfielder Rodri after reports in Spain claimed the Ballon d’Or winner has approved a move to the Catalan giants. Only a few days ago, Barcelona officials reportedly believed Rodri’s preferred destination in Spain was Real Madrid. Real Madrid had valued a potential transfer at around €60 million, a fee that would stretch Barcelona’s finances. Sport reported that Rodri’s representatives informed Barcelona on Wednesday evening that negotiations with Real Madrid had broken down over financial terms. Marca also reported that Rodri has informed Barcelona’s sporting department of his willingness to join Flick’s project, effectively ending any possibility of a move to Real Madrid.