‘I’m told Man City have found the perfect Rodri replacement’, £100m deal lined up
Man City see Elliot Anderson as their ideal replacement for Rodri amid ongoing concerns about the Spaniard’s recent injury troubles.
That is according to former Man United and Blackburn chief scout Mick Brown, who remains very well-connected within the game, as he exclusively told Football Insider that Pep Guardiola has been impressed by his performances for Nottingham Forest.
This comes after Football Insider exclusively revealed that Nottingham Forest have boosted Anderson’s asking price and will now demand upwards of £100million.
The England international has become one of the most highly sought-after players in the Premier League, and is also wanted by the likes of Liverpool and Man United.
However, against a backdrop of concerns about the long-term future of Rodri, City are now hopeful of getting a deal over the line ahead of their rivals.
Man City set sights on Elliot Anderson after Rodri latest
Brown told Football Insider on 2 December that Man City are accelerating plans to sign Anderson and hope to beat their rivals to his signature.
The former scout, who has a wealth of experience in top-level player recruitment after over a decade at Man United during their most successful period, insisted that the Nottingham Forest star could be the natural successor for Rodri.
“Anderson would be perfect for Man City,” he told Football Insider.
“He would be a top option for quite a few clubs, I look at him as the answer to Man United’s midfield problems, and Liverpool are looking at him too.
“But for City, they’ve got these worries about Rodri and his injury where he doesn’t seem to have recovered as well as they might have hoped.
“I’m told Guardiola is a big fan of his and would want to bring him in if he became available, and they’re looking at maybe doing that in January.
“Every time he gets close or makes a comeback, something else seems to come up. If he can’t stay fit for an extended period, they’ll need to bring in somebody who can.
“They’ve been looking at a few options, seeing who might be available and who best suits their team, just in case they need to go and buy somebody.
“Anderson stands out as the ideal replacement, really, because he’s got that energy but he can play deeper and he’s very smart in possession as well.”
Man City concerned about Rodri’s injury
Brown told Football Insider on 4 December that Man City are concerned about Rodri’s fitness after repeated setbacks following last season’s long-term blow.
Rodri missed 53 games for club and country with a torn cruciate ligament, and complications following his recovery have seen him miss an additional 15 fixtures.
The Spaniard has still not been passed fit to play, and missed out as Man City beat Sunderland 3-0 on Saturday as he continues to work his way back.
Football Insider revealed in October that Man City are not prioritising a Rodri replacement as things stand despite his lingering injury issues.
However, amid growing concerns, City have begun seeking potential alternatives with Anderson currently topping their list of targets.
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