Mariska on the possibility of Rodri moving to Barcelona: Anything can happen

Italian coach Enzo Maresca of English club Chelsea has indicated that “anything can happen,” amid reports that La Liga champions Barcelona have submitted an offer to sign World Cup winner Rodri during the transfer window.

City had previously rejected an initial offer from Barcelona worth 38.5 million pounds sterling ($52 million) for the World Cup-winning midfielder, according to reports.

The 30-year-old midfielder has only one year remaining on his contract with the club and has been strongly linked with a return to Spain, his country of birth.

Reports suggest that City are demanding around 68 million pounds sterling ($92 million) for Rodri, who was named the best player at the North American World Cup.

Maresca said at a press conference on Friday, ahead of Arsenal in this week’s Community Shield, the traditional match that opens the new English Premier League season, “First, we have already said that the transfer market is open, and we can buy and sell players, and anything is possible.”

Rodri joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2019, winning the English Premier League four times and the Champions League in 2023 under former manager and compatriot Pep Guardiola.

He also won the 2024 UEFA Nations League and received the Ballon d’Or in the same year, before a serious knee injury kept him out of much of the 2024-2025 season.