Barcelona edge for Rodri while West Ham secures Veltman

As the new season approaches, Barcelona are reported to have the strongest paperwork for Manchester City midfielder Rodri, while West Ham United have completed the signing of defender Joël Veltman and former Go Ahead Eagles forward Bobby Adekanye has moved to Singapore's Lion City Sailors. The three moves illustrate the varied strategies clubs are adopting ahead of the campaign.

Spanish media say Barcelona now hold the best documents to negotiate for Rodri, who remains under contract with Manchester City until the summer of 2027. Real Madrid were previously mentioned as the leading candidate, but the Catalans appear to have gained an advantage in the latest talks.

Joël Veltman arrived in London as a free agent and signed a one‑year contract with an option for a second season at the recently relegated West Ham United. "I am very happy to have signed and I can’t wait to get started," Veltman said. The 34‑year‑old defender joins from Brighton & Hove Albion, a club that bought him from Ajax in 2020, and he brings experience from three Dutch league titles and a 2017 Europa League final.

Bobby Adekanye, a former Go Ahead Eagles striker, has found a new home with Singapore’s champions Lion City Sailors. The move was facilitated by former Feyenoord player Bilal Basacikoglu after Adekanye spent a month without a club following the expiry of his contract with Turkish side Manisa FK. Adekanye previously featured for ADO Den Haag and Go Ahead Eagles.

The source also lists a range of other names and terms that appear in the original report: Givairo Read, Kasper Dolberg, AFP, Pim, RasGivairo, Rodri.TransferTalk, SingaporeHet, Google-favorietHet, Feyenoord, AS Roma, Read•, Het, Yan, Diomandé•, Salah, PSV, Lang, Mark, AAN, De, Givairo, Diomand, Bij and Al. Their inclusion reflects the breadth of transfer chatter captured by the article.

Together, the Barcelona‑Rodri pursuit, West Ham’s free‑transfer acquisition and Adekanye’s Asian adventure highlight how clubs across Europe and Asia are navigating the market with differing priorities – from high‑profile negotiations to opportunistic signings that broaden a player’s horizons.