Report – How a secret meeting with Deco convinced Rodri to choose Barcelona

Report – How a secret meeting with Deco convinced Rodri to choose Barcelona One of the most remarkable aspects of FC Barcelona’s pursuit of Rodri is not the transfer itself, but the extraordinary secrecy surrounding the entire operation. Although recent developments have made it seem as though everything happened within a matter of hours, the groundwork had been laid over several weeks, with Barça quietly working behind the scenes to convince the Spanish midfielder, reports SPORT . With virtually no leaks and complete confidentiality, Barça managed to overturn a situation that, only days earlier, appeared to be firmly in Real Madrid’s favour. The key meeting that started everything After enjoying a short holiday in Croatia, Deco had the option of flying directly to Birmingham on 30 July to join Barcelona’s pre-season training camp. But instead he returned to Barcelona first, spending just over a day in the city before joining the rest of the delegation in England. It was no coincidence. Deco had deliberately kept that window free because he had scheduled a meeting that could shape Barça’s entire summer transfer strategy. By then, the Catalans’ sporting director had already held several telephone conversations with Rodri’s representatives and had made initial enquiries regarding the financial aspects of a potential deal. Barcelona then decided to take the next step. They wanted to meet the player face to face. The club demanded complete discretion from everyone involved. Nobody wanted photographs, leaks or unnecessary attention to jeopardise negotiations of such importance. The meeting that changed everything Deco arranged a secret meeting with Rodri. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) At the end of July, Rodri happened to be in Catalonia after attending a wedding on the Costa Brava. Taking advantage of his presence in the region, Deco arranged a private meeting, and Rodri agreed to listen to Barcelona’s sporting project. The meeting took place in a room at a well-known five-star hotel and lasted around two and a half hours. During those discussions, Deco personally outlined the Blaugrana’s long-term project, explained the role Rodri would have in the team and emphasised how important Hansi Flick considered him to his tactical plans. Barcelona made it clear that they wanted Rodri to become one of the central figures of the club’s new era. That conversation dramatically changed Rodri’s perspective. Up until then, Real Madrid had been the club furthest advanced in negotiations. The midfielder had listened to their proposal and held several conversations with the club, but he had never given his definitive approval. Following the meeting with Deco, however, the balance shifted noticeably. Barcelona came away extremely satisfied with how the discussions had gone, although they also understood that one meeting alone would never be enough to complete a transfer of this magnitude. Flick takes a personal role Flick directly spoke to Rodri. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images) From that point onward, much of the work took place behind the scenes. Deco maintained constant contact with Rodri, while Flick became one of the most influential figures in the operation . The German coach spoke directly with the midfielder on several occasions, explaining exactly what he expected from him and detailing the role he envisioned for him within Barcelona’s midfield. That level of involvement also reflected the close working relationship between Flick and Deco, who remained perfectly aligned throughout the negotiations. Dani Codina’s quiet influence Another key figure remained almost entirely unnoticed throughout the process. According to sources familiar with the negotiations, Dani Codina played an important role behind the scenes. Although largely unknown to supporters, Barcelona’s player liaison officer is highly regarded within the club. His responsibilities include helping players with every aspect of daily life, from accommodation and travel arrangements to logistical support, allowing them to focus exclusively on football. His connection with Rodri proved especially valuable. Before joining Barcelona, Codina worked at Manchester City, where he developed an excellent relationship with the Spanish midfielder. That trust became an important asset during negotiations. According to the report, Codina helped facilitate the initial hotel meeting and remained involved during several crucial moments, offering Rodri reassurance throughout the process. Another decisive trip Rodri rejected Real Madrid for Barcelona. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images) There was still one final push to come. Last Tuesday, Deco travelled to Madrid on various transfer-related matters and used the opportunity to continue advancing discussions over Rodri. The sporting director wanted to personally reinforce Barcelona’s determination to complete the signing. His message was simple. The club was fully committed to making Rodri the leader of its new midfield. Those conversations further strengthened the positive feelings that had already emerged after the Barcelona meeting, leaving negotiations ready for the player’s final decision. Conversations between all parties remained constant over the following days. Then, last Thursday, Barcelona finally received the phone call they had been waiting for . Rodri’s representatives informed the club that the sporting project presented by Deco and Flick had convinced the player, giving the operation the decisive breakthrough Barça had been hoping for. Although several details still need to be finalised, Barcelona believe they are now very close to signing one of the world’s finest holding midfielders and, in the process, have disrupted plans that Real Madrid had been working on for months.