Three players Man City could sign to challenge Rodri amid injury woes
Rodri has had terrible luck with injuries over the last year and it’s becoming a major concern for Manchester City.
Pep Guardiola confirmed another injury setback for Rodri this week, but after missing Man City‘s 5-1 win over Burnley, Rodri was spotted training at Man City’s training ground.
Man City are in constant contract talks with Rodri amid rumoured Real Madrid interest, with the Cityzens still keen to keep him despite his recent struggles to return to full fitness ever since his ACL injury.
The Spaniard wasn’t out for as long as the players who suffered the worst-ever ACL injuries in Premier League history, but he has struggled with pain in the same knee this season.
Stanislav Lobotka
Now 30, Napoli‘s pendulum, Stanislav Lobotka, would be the perfect player to come in and compete for a starting spot with Rodri. Actually older than the Spaniard, he would provide immense quality in depth, and if Rodri were to get injured again, the drop-off would not be as noticeable
Rodri is better at winning the ball back, but Lobotka is arguably better at setting the tempo, is hugely press-resistant, can drive forward with the ball and his passing often borders on perfect.
Lobotka is out of contract in 2027, and that, combined with his age, makes him the ideal target for a January transfer to the Etihad.
Adam Wharton
Crystal Palace have done an amazing job under Oliver Glasner over the last 12 months, winning the FA Cup and Community Shield with wins over Manchester City and Liverpool. They are currently on a club-record unbeaten streak and are third in the Premier League table at the time of writing.
A big reason for their incredible form is Adam Wharton. The 21-year-old is under contract with the Eagles until summer 2029 and won’t come cheap, but he is already among the best holding midfielders in the Premier League.
Wharton would be a good fit for Man City, stylistically and on paper.
Aleksandar Pavlovic
Also out of contract in 2029, Bayern Munich‘s Aleksandar Pavlovic is one of the most exciting ready-to-go midfielders in Europe.
He and Wharton will be very expensive due to their age, contract status and current form, but if Man City want a player to compete with Rodri with a view to replacing him in the long term, they’d be wise to look into these two.
Harry Kane recently had words of praise for the 21-year-old, telling the press: “He’s been great so far. He was good last season, but this season, in this system, you see an even better version of him. The more he plays, the more experienced he becomes. He’s getting better and better.”
The numbers paint a lovely picture of just how good Pavlovic already is.
| Passes completed (per 90) | 98 |
| Pass Completion % | 92.7% |
| Progressive Passes (per 90) | 8.82 |
| Touches (per 90) | 105.2 |
| % of Dribblers Tackled | 64.9% |
| Carries into Final Third (per 90) | 3.58 |
| Times Dispossessed (per 90) | 0.28 |
| Passes received (per 90) | 89.6 |
Manchester City would do themselves a massive favour by signing any of these holding midfielders. Not only would they get the best out of Rodri when fit, but they would also guarantee against a major dip in form when the Spaniard is unavailable.