Barcelona have entered the race to sign Manchester City midfielder Rodri, with reports claiming the Catalan giants have already held talks with the Spain international's representatives over a potential move.According to sources close to the negotiations, Barcelona are exploring the conditions of a deal as they look to beat rivals Real Madrid to the signature of the 2024 Ballon d'Or winner.Busy days in Madrid: Secret meeting fuels Rodri "betrayal" rumours?The Blaugrana believe Rodri would fit seamlessly into Hansi Flick's project, not only because of his playing style but also due to the strong Spanish core already at the club. A move to Camp Nou would reunite the midfielder with eight teammates from Spain's 2026 FIFA World Cup-winning squad: Joan Garcia, Eric Garcia, Pau Cubarsi, Gavi, Dani Olmo, Pedri, Ferran Torres and Lamine Yamal.Real Madrid, however, remain firmly in the picture.##NAJAVA_MECA_9878430##The Athletic previously reported that Los Blancos are also working on a deal for Rodri and are confident personal terms would not be an obstacle. Their main challenge remains reaching an agreement with Manchester City, who are aware of interest from both of Spain's biggest clubs.Barcelona's pursuit has gathered pace after Frenkie de Jong suffered a medial collateral ligament injury that is expected to keep him sidelined for an extended period. However, the Catalans would first need to offload players to create both salary space and the financial flexibility required to complete such a high-profile signing.Rodri has entered the final year of his Manchester City contract, and previous reports suggested he has shown little interest in signing an extension.Rodri sends "pick me" message to Real Madrid: Bernabeu is always incredibleThe 30-year-old also admitted during the April international break that he hopes to return to La Liga before the end of his career, although he acknowledged the attraction of playing for Real Madrid.After leading Spain to the 2026 FIFA World Cup title as captain, Rodri was awarded the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, adding to the Player of the Tournament award he collected during Spain's triumphant UEFA Euro 2024 campaign.Since joining Manchester City from Atletico Madrid in 2019, Rodri has made 298 appearances, scoring 28 goals and providing 32 assists while helping the club win four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three League Cups and the UEFA Champions League, famously scoring the winner in the 2023 final.##NAJAVA_MECA_9878441##