Man City accelerate move to sign Rodri replacement from London rivals - expert
Manchester City are stepping up efforts to replace Rodri and have now set their sights on Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton.
Rodri is now closing in on a move to Barcelona for a fee of £65.4million, having been a crucial player at the Etihad for seven years, during which time he lifted 11 major trophies.
Work has been ongoing for months to identify a replacement, and Wharton may now have emerged as the leading candidate amid ongoing uncertainty over his future.
Former Man United chief scout Mick Brown told Football Insider that Man City scouts have been tracking the Crystal Palace midfielder and feel he would be a good fit for their side.
Wharton has shone for Crystal Palace since his arrival in 2024, helping to lead the Eagles to their FA Cup and Conference League wins, and has attracted plenty of high-profile interest.
However, much will depend on the fee involved in their pursuit of the 22-year-old, with City also targeting a number of other midfield reinforcements this month.
Could Man City make a move for Adam Wharton?
Football Insider first revealed way back in 2024 that Man City were eyeing Wharton as a long-term replacement for Rodri and believe he could be the ideal candidate for the position.
While no move materialised at the time and Rodri remained at the Etihad, his imminent exit could now force City to reconsider a move, two years on from their initial interest.
Wharton's game has developed in that time, and he has played a crucial role in Crystal Palace's success, while those performances have inspired renewed interest.
"Man City are going to need to replace Rodri sooner rather than later," Brown told Football Insider.
"They haven't left themselves with a lot of time to do that, but they've been working to identify options for months now because there has been a feeling he might leave.
"One player who has been mentioned is Adam Wharton, he's a player Man City have liked for a while and he certainly ticks a lot of boxes in terms of that midfield position.
"He will be high on their list to replace Rodri, but it depends on what they're going to have to pay for him, because Palace obviously don't want to lose another key player.
"It might be a difficult deal for Man City to do in that case, but he's certainly somebody they admire, and his abilities would make him a good fit."
How do Crystal Palace feel about selling Wharton?
Speculation about Wharton's future has been ongoing since the window opened, but with no movement so far, Crystal Palace are planning to stick to their guns.
The likes of Liverpool, Man United and Real Madrid have shown an interest in the England international this summer, but Palace maintain that he is not for sale.
Football Insider revealed last month that Crystal Palace are now planning to demand upwards of £100million for Wharton and will not let him go for cheap.
The Eagles are using City's £116million signing of Elliot Anderson and Spurs' £100million signing of Sandro Tonali as benchmarks, with Wharton seen as being on their level.
His trophy-winning experience, importance to Pierre Sage's starting XI, and impressive performances over a number of years have now seen his price tag skyrocket.