Friday 5 July 2019 06:27, UK
Manchester City have signed midfielder Rodri from Atletico Madrid in a club-record deal after paying his £62.5m release clause.
The La Liga side confirmed on Wednesday that City's representatives had paid the fee for Rodri at La Liga's headquarters, despite interest from Bayern Munich.
Rodri - who has signed a five-year deal with City - informed Atletico last month of his desire to leave the club this summer.
After completing his move, Rodri told City's official website: "What City have achieved in the last two years has been amazing and I'm looking forward to being part of such a talented squad.
"It's not just the titles they have won, but the way they have managed it, playing attacking football at all times. It's a style that excites me, as do the club's ambitions.
"I can't wait to start working with Pep Guardiola and my new team-mates and hopefully we can achieve great things together."
Rodri, who has six caps for Spain, will wear the No 16 shirt at City.
His signing brings City's search for a player that can compete with Fernandinho as the holding-midfielder in Guardiola's side to an end, a year after they missed out on Jorginho, who chose to move to Chelsea.
Rodri began his career with Atletico before moving to Villarreal in 2013, but impressed enough for Diego Simeone to bring him back to the capital last summer.
He becomes City's third signing of the summer, and follows less than 24 hours after they re-signed left-back Angelino from PSV for £5.3m.
City's director of football Txiki Begiristain told the club's website: "Rodri has proven himself to be a hugely talented young midfielder, who has all the attributes we are looking for.
"He works hard defensively, makes himself available to receive the ball and uses it well when in possession. He is a perfect fit for Pep Guardiola's team and we are confident he will be a success."
Discussing City's record-breaking deal on the Transfer Talk show on Sky Sports News, reporter Anton Toloui revealed Rodri had been one of three central midfielders targeted to solve their problem position, but that the Atletico Madrid man had been firmly top of the list.
"He was their number-one target this summer," he said. "They had a list of three midfielders they wanted to bring in as the heir to Fernandinho, Rodri was top of that list and they've gone and got him ahead of Bayern Munich, who were also prepared to meet the fee. It was all done and dusted, they identified the man they wanted and it's sorted!
"They got their fingers burned last season with Jorginho, and didn't want to take that risk again. This is what they see as the most vulnerable part of the squad, especially looking at the other midfield options they've got."
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