According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona successfully hijacked Real Madrid last summer, signing Manchester City midfielder Rodri. Real Madrid had reportedly all but finalized Rodri's move, but Barcelona secretly intervened and ultimately persuaded the player to change his mind, a decision that infuriated Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez Rodríguez, who was on vacation at the beach at the time.
This was undoubtedly a bombshell dropped by Barcelona during that summer transfer window. Barcelona snatched Rodri from Real Madrid, even though all indications at the time were that the midfielder was on his way to the Santiago Bernabéu. This carefully considered decision caused a real earthquake within the Real Madrid board, as they had previously been convinced that Rodri had agreed to a four-year contract. In the late night of August 5, Florentino Pérez Rodríguez's vacation was completely ruined; he not only lost a Ballon d'Or winner but, more importantly, lost to his eternal rivals. It was a thrilling moment where the player's own will prevailed, and he chose to sign with Barcelona, rejecting Mourinho's plans at Real Madrid. Rodri would become one of the protagonists of the Clásico wearing a Barcelona jersey, even though he could have easily been on the opposing side. Real Madrid had indeed thought the transfer was a done deal in early August; they had largely agreed to the player's long-term contract demands, satisfying all the midfielder's needs.
What Florentino Pérez Rodríguez didn't know was that Rodri was also secretly listening to offers from Barcelona. Specifically, Barcelona sporting director Deco had a secret meeting with the player's agent, Pablo Barquero, where Barcelona also expressed willingness to accept the player's contract terms. This battle for supremacy, which lasted from August 1 to 5, was a brilliant strategic move, as Rodri had ensured throughout that he would secure a super contract with one of LaLiga's top clubs.
Rodri's team first met with Real Madrid's general director, José Ángel Carmona. After months of inaction, and after confirming that Rodri indeed wanted to leave Manchester City, the Blancos finally decided to go all out to pursue the midfield maestro. This meeting was not easy, as Rodri and his family were very displeased with Real Madrid and Florentino Pérez Rodríguez's cold attitude after he won the Ballon d'Or. Both sides temporarily put aside their grievances and began negotiations for the transfer, but it depended on reaching an agreement with Manchester City and the player's final approval, which ultimately never came.
Because it was at this point that Barcelona unexpectedly entered the fray. Learning that Rodri was on the market, they decisively made a move, especially after confirming that De Jong's injury was more serious than expected. Deco made it clear that this would be a strategic signing, but Barcelona would not make a formal offer until the player made his final decision. They would only sign him when Rodri explicitly chose Barcelona and rejected Real Madrid. Only then would the full contract be finalized. After the meeting with Barcelona, there were two days of calm and deliberation. Rodri spent 48 hours carefully considering which destination was best for him to end his career at the highest level. He weighed the pros and cons. Real Madrid had opened their doors to him, but he did not agree with Mourinho's project, nor was he impressed by Florentino Pérez Rodríguez's smooth talk after months of neglect; Barcelona, on the other hand, meant he would have to give up his wish to return to Madrid with his family.
Ultimately, Rodri made his decision, which was based on his playing style and the tactics he could implement at Barcelona. More importantly, the atmosphere in Barcelona's locker room was much better—he spoke a lot with his Spanish national teammates at Barcelona during those days—and there were not as many internal problems as at Real Madrid. He knew going to Barcelona would be a winning choice. The decision had been made, and only the notification remained. It was on August 5 that Rodri's agent said "yes" to Deco, and then had to contact Real Madrid to thank them, but ultimately and unequivocally rejected their offer. It was a tense communication, and Real Madrid's hierarchy was caught off guard. Florentino Pérez Rodríguez, vacationing on the beaches of Cádiz, learned of the midfielder's merciless rejection. This caused an uproar, but the reason was more about losing to Barcelona in a transfer they thought was secure, rather than losing Rodri himself. In fact, they had planned to announce Rodri a few days after finalizing the signing with Yan Diomande, a deal that was also settled around the same time. This missed opportunity left Real Madrid's project without its much-needed organizational core, plunging it into disarray.