Spain Boss De la Fuente Surprised by Rodri’s Barcelona Transfer
Rodri’s move to Barcelona has surprised Spain coach Luis de la Fuente, who had expected the former Manchester City midfielder to end up back in the Spanish capital rather than at Camp Nou.
De la Fuente expected a different destination
The Spain manager said he followed Rodri’s transfer situation closely because of his relationship with the player and those around him. Even so, he believed the midfielder was heading for José Mourinho’s side and a return to the white shirt.
- Rodri had been strongly linked with a move back to Madrid for months.
- De la Fuente said the final Barcelona agreement initially caught him off guard.
- The Spain boss added that Rodri and his representatives kept him updated at points during the process.
“At first I was surprised,” De la Fuente said, while stressing that his close contact with Rodri’s camp meant he was not entirely in the dark over the developing deal.
Spain coach welcomes La Liga return
De la Fuente sees Rodri’s arrival in Barcelona as a boost for Spanish football, regardless of the club involved. His priority is having leading Spanish internationals playing in La Liga rather than spread across overseas leagues.
He said the volume of players from Spain’s outstanding current generation based outside the country has been striking. Their return, in his view, improves both the domestic competition and the wider national game.
- De la Fuente believes elite players competing in Spain is the key point.
- He regards the influx of top talent into La Liga as a lift for the league’s standard.
- Rodri’s Barcelona switch is therefore positive news for the national-team manager.
Pedri and Rodri can work together
The Barcelona move has also raised questions over whether Rodri and Pedri can share a midfield effectively. De la Fuente is convinced they can, although he expects Pedri’s responsibilities to change alongside a player of Rodri’s authority.
He pointed to Pedri’s ability to adjust depending on his team-mates, saying the midfielder has already demonstrated a different role with Spain from the one he performs in other line-ups. De la Fuente said he prefers the version of Pedri seen with the national side.
Rodri’s presence changes the demands on those around him, but De la Fuente believes Pedri has the quality to provide the different attributes required. He described Rodri as the finest player in his position and said Spain are fortunate to have both midfielders available.
What happens next for Spain
De la Fuente now turns to a demanding international schedule for the reigning world champions.
- Spain face England in London in a friendly on September 26.
- La Roja then host the Czech Republic in Oviedo on October 3.
- The window concludes with an away test against Croatia.
