Spain captain Rodri is poised to finalise a £65m switch to Barcelona in the coming days on a four-year deal.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has featured 298 times over seven trophy-laden seasons at City, having arrived from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club-record £62.8m.
Now 30, he missed most of the 2024-25 season with a serious knee injury, while parts of the previous campaign were hampered by a hamstring issue.
He returned to top form at the summer World Cup, captaining Spain to a second world title and being named player of the tournament.
Meanwhile, City remain interested in Fernandez, though Chelsea expect the Argentina midfielder to stay for the rest of the season after their self-imposed bidding deadline passed.
It’s a saga to watch before the 1 September deadline, with well-placed sources saying City boss Enzo Maresca still holds strong interest.