Rodri has admitted he never intended to leave Manchester City, describing his £65.4 million move to Barcelona as the product of a summer of reflection rather than any long-held ambition to move on.

The 2024 Ballon d'Or winner brought a seven-year stay in Manchester to an end, a departure that reshaped the middle of Enzo Maresca's side and handed the club one of the defining stories of their summer.

Rodri arrived in 2019 as the long-term successor to Fernandinho, and left as one of the finest midfielders in world football. He had always imagined a different ending.

"I always thought I would end my career there, because it's where they gave me everything. I was happy and I shared what I believe was one of the best generations in the history of English football, with the manager we had."

The manager in question, Pep Guardiola, shaped the era in which Rodri became indispensable. Moving on was not something the player had contemplated — until it was.

"I never thought about leaving. But it's true that there was a change of cycle. And after the World Cup, I reflected on it and reached the conclusion that perhaps another experience was better. Barça was my choice."

Real Madrid were among the clubs interested in his signature. Rodri confirmed that much, and framed the choice in straightforward terms.

"For me, the difficult decision was understanding that my time in Manchester had ended. That was complicated."

"And the decision to come to a club like Barcelona was never difficult, with everything it represents, with what attracted me in a footballing sense. Saying no to other great clubs like Real Madrid isn't easy, but I was clear about it."

He has settled quickly in Catalonia, helping Hansi Flick's Barcelona make a flawless start to the campaign. The reunion will come soon enough: City were drawn to face Barcelona in this season's Champions League league phase, a fixture that carries obvious weight for a player who gave so much in Manchester — and who knows winning that trophy is Barcelona's great ambition.

City, meanwhile, have not stood still. Maresca has overseen a sweeping rebuild of his midfield, with Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Enzo Fernandez all arriving. Bouaddi, in particular, has been recruited with the long term in mind, a nod to the scale of the void Rodri left behind.

Replacing a player of his influence was always going to be a tall order. Anderson and Fernandez have impressed as City have taken maximum points from their season so far — a start that suggests the transition is further along than many expected.

Rodri, for his part, has no regrets about the destination. Only about the timing of the goodbye.