City sell Rodri to Barcelona and eye five transfers after 3-0 Community Shield loss to Arsenal

Manchester City’s summer rebuild is moving at pace after a 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal in Cardiff on Sunday, with the club accepting a £65.4m offer for midfielder Rodri from Barcelona and Tijjani Reijnders also closing in on an exit.

Rodri, who won the Ballon d’Or last season, had declined to sign a contract extension at the Etihad Stadium, and Barcelona’s third bid — worth £65.4m — was accepted by City on Sunday evening. The Spain international is expected to travel to Barcelona for his medical, with the deal now moving quickly toward completion.

Reijnders, who only joined City last summer, is also set to depart. Head coach Enzo Maresca effectively confirmed as much at his pre-match press conference on Friday, saying that when the club, player and manager all agree a move is the right call, it is best for everyone to act on it. Saudi Pro League side Al Qadsiah are understood to be frontrunners to sign the Dutch international.

Maresca was measured in his assessment of the Arsenal defeat, noting that several City players had only just returned to pre-season training in the days before the fixture, contributing to a disjointed display against the Premier League champions. He was careful not to attribute the club’s transfer intentions solely to the result.

“We knew already before the game of the things that we need to do,” Maresca said. “It’s not because we lost the game, or even if we had won the game, to think differently. We are quite clear in what we need to do and for sure we are going to do something before the window closes.”

The City manager also stressed the urgency of bringing new signings in ahead of the Premier League opener, which is just one week away. “Any new signing, the sooner they arrive the better,” he said. “If they start to work with us as soon as possible it’s better that they can also understand the way we want to play.”

The Rodri and Reijnders sales are expected to generate significant funds to support incomings before the transfer window shuts on September 1. City are anticipated to complete up to five pieces of business in total — a combination of exits and arrivals — as Maresca looks to have his squad fully shaped before the season gets properly under way.