Manchester City’s midfield future hangs in the balance as Rodri prepares for back surgery on Monday with just one year left on his contract – and Real Madrid reportedly “operating on the basis” of signing him.
The 30-year-old Ballon d’Or winner, who captained Spain to World Cup glory against Argentina, will go under the knife after a season in which he returned from an anterior cruciate ligament injury to be named the tournament’s best player. His absence length is unclear, leaving new boss Enzo Maresca to navigate a squad already in flux.
“Rodri to have back surgery with one year left on contract as Real Madrid circle.”
Four starters from City’s 2022-23 Treble-winning side – Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Bernardo Silva and John Stones – have left this summer, while the club spent £116m on Elliot Anderson and signed 17-year-old Jeremy Monga. Maresca, who replaced Pep Guardiola, insisted at his first news conference: “I think every manager wants to have Rodri because he is a top player. But now, surgery on Monday... he needs a holiday... he needs to rest and recover and then he will be back with us.”
Guardiola, speaking last October, had predicted: “In the World Cup, he will be the best Rodri, and next season he will be the best Rodri.” The prophecy was fulfilled, but the question now is whether City will cash in when he returns to fitness or keep to Maresca’s stance.
The manager, a disciple of positional play, compares his game model to chess: “There are a lot of similarities. The most important is positional play and strategy. For a coach, it’s important to have the mentality of a chess player: develop a plan, study counter-moves, choose the arrangement of the pieces.” His system is rooted in a 3-2-2-3 shape – a formation that may need rethinking without Rodri.
City’s contingency plans include the presence of Anderson and interest in 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who impressed for Morocco at the World Cup. But Maresca was unequivocal: “The plan seems clear – look to retain one of the best players in world football rather than sell him.” Whether that plan survives Real Madrid’s overtures remains to be seen.