Barcelona have won the race for the world’s most dominant midfield presence. Manchester City’s talismanic captain, Rodri, is one step away from completing a sensational summer move to Camp Nou, having definitively rejected a potential switch to arch-rivals Real Madrid. The transfer, which has been the subject of intense negotiation for weeks, was ultimately sealed by the intervention of two of the most important figures in his career: a pivotal conversation with his former manager Pep Guardiola. After seeing his bids for the playmaker constantly rejected, Barcelona’s persistence has paid off, poised to hand the Blaugrana the final piece of their European puzzle.

Rodri is now set to undergo a medical examination before finalising the details of his move, after his determination to leave the Premier League champions became increasingly clear. The source of this reading is his close relationship with Guardiola, who after years of convincing him to stay at the Etihad, offered his own personal approval for the transfer to Spain. With Barcelona having already submitted a bid of around £55 million, a second offer that was rejected, they will now pay whatever is necessary to bring him to Catalonia, with a four-year contract ready. The effects of this on Real Madrid are clear: they have seen their primary target choose the bright project of Hansi Flick at Camp Nou, instead of a rebuild job elsewhere. The wounds are deep.

Rodri bid adieu to Manchester City after seven years of talismanic service in which he redefined the game’s holding midfield role. It helps, of course, that he scored the most momentous goal in the club’s history, the one that finally made them champions of Europe. Rodri against Inter in Istanbul: few supporters will ever need an explanation of that. Yet, watching the Spanish captain in the flesh—a player capable of elevating an excellent team to another level—City fans may now look at his total of 26 club starts last season and wonder if they will ever be able to replace such a leader. Guardiola’s finest team had a definitive player; for the finances expected to be in play, the former Atletico Madrid star will aim to transcend their youthful transitional brief.

For Barcelona, this is a statement signing that sends shockwaves through the European game. Already heavy favourites for a third successive La Liga season, the signing of Rodri makes it seem a foregone conclusion, though their main target is finally conquering the Champions League after a prolonged absence from contention. The Spain international, who captured the World Cup and the Golden Ball last summer, finds a project and a tactical philosophy that matches his principles, shifting back to his home nation. This is the last piece of the puzzle, and will prove an essential step to their return to the top. Rodri doesn’t have to settle for the promise of success; he comes to deliver it.

Rodri could well return to his physical peak and his best form, having dealt with significant injuries during the last couple of seasons. Now he’ll embody the hopes of La Blaugrana, as his medical is expedited and he is unveiled in his home country once more. As he begins this new chapter, away from a transitional period in England, he leads a move that could allow him to reign for near a decade. Barcelona, Chelsea, Manchester City are all watching as this story unfolds, and Rodri has chosen his next landing spot. This is a move about the future.