​Journalist: Manchester City refuse to give up on priority targetManchester City transfer latest as Rodri exit forces Enzo Fernandez pushManchester City have reached the point in this window where the talking stops and the consequences start. The broad shape of the squad is clear, the weak spots are obvious, and the market is no longer moving at City’s preferred pace. According to The Athletic, the big development is that “An agreement with Barcelona for Rodri was finally reached on Sunday evening, which should spark a lot of other activity.” That is the headline, and it changes everything.Take Rodri out of Manchester City and you do not simply remove a midfielder. You remove structure, tempo, authority, security and a lot of the calm that makes the rest of the team function. If he goes, this is not a minor refresh. This is surgery. City know it, which is why the rest of their transfer business now looks like an attempt to patch together a midfield reset before the season starts.Photo IMAGOThe same report makes clear that City have not abandoned their main attacking idea in midfield. “City still want to sign Fernandez regardless of the deadline, so there is no pivot necessary.” That is a strong line, and it tells you where the club stands. Chelsea may have tried to impose order on a chaotic market, but City are treating that deadline as theatre rather than a barrier.There is also the blunt reality that City have limits. The Athletic reports that Chelsea believe a previously discussed route to a deal has changed, while City “consider him a priority target and will attempt to do a deal, but have no intention of paying the £120m and do not want to go any higher.” That is sensible. Enzo Fernandez is a top player, but £120m is elite-premium money, and when clubs know City are under pressure, the price rises for sport.Rodri sale leaves City with a problem, not a puzzleThere is a temptation to overcomplicate this. Don’t. Rodri leaving is bad news for City. It may eventually make sense financially, and the fee from Barcelona may be strong enough to justify the transaction in accounting terms, but football is not played on spreadsheets. Rodri has been the most important midfielder at the club for years, and replacing his influence with one signing is unrealistic.The report states that “City will try to finalise plans to strengthen the midfield, with Rodri and Reijnders likely to leave this week.” That is a major warning sign. One exit of that size is destabilising. Two in the same area of the pitch is the kind of thing that can wreck the start of a season.Photo IMAGOReijnders leaving matters because he was supposed to offer legs, carrying power and flexibility. Instead, The Athletic says “terms agreed with Al Qadsiah for a move for Reijnders.” If that deal goes through, City are not merely replacing talent, they are replacing depth and stylistic options. Suddenly the midfield needs quantity as well as quality.This is why the Ferna