How Rodri’s Barcelona transfer began at a wedding before Deco sealed the deal

Barcelona’s blockbuster signing of Rodri reportedly began in an unusual setting—not a boardroom or training ground, but at the wedding of one of the midfielder’s closest friends.

According to reports from Spain, the Ballon d’Or-winning midfielder’s move to Camp Nou first gathered momentum during a summer trip to Begur on the Costa Brava, where Rodri attended the wedding of Dani Codina, Barcelona’s head of operations and player services.

Codina previously worked with Rodri during their time together at Manchester City, and the pair have maintained a close friendship. Their relationship is believed to have played a role in opening the door for Barcelona’s pursuit of the Spanish international.

Deco held crucial first meeting

While Rodri was enjoying a short break after Spain’s World Cup triumph, Barcelona sporting director Deco travelled to Begur for a face-to-face meeting with the midfielder.

The meeting reportedly took place at a local restaurant away from the tourist crowds. Although no agreement was reached during those initial discussions, it marked the beginning of serious negotiations between Barcelona and Rodri.

The report claims the midfielder left the meeting convinced that Barcelona was a genuine option, despite also attracting strong interest from Real Madrid.

Wedding strengthened Barcelona links

Rodri later attended Codina’s wedding, where several Barcelona employees were also present.

According to the report, the Spain international was seen enthusiastically joining in with Barcelona-themed chants during the celebrations, reflecting his growing excitement over the possibility of moving to Camp Nou.

Those close to the negotiations reportedly viewed the event as another sign that the midfielder was increasingly leaning towards Barcelona ahead of other suitors.

Barcelona secured Rodri’s approval first

The report adds that Deco’s strategy was to first convince the player before opening formal negotiations with Manchester City.

Once Rodri had given his approval to the project, Barcelona accelerated talks with City and eventually completed the transfer.

Barcelona are understood to have agreed a package worth €60 million in fixed fees, plus €11.5 million in achievable add-ons, with a further €5 million in performance-related bonuses linked to Champions League success and player appearances.

Rodri has since signed a contract running until 2030 and is expected to make his competitive debut once he fully recovers from a minor back procedure.

While Barcelona have officially confirmed Rodri’s arrival, the reported details surrounding the wedding, private meeting with Deco and behind-the-scenes negotiations come from Spanish media reports and have not been independently confirmed by the club or the player.