Rodri's Future at Manchester City
Manchester City faces a potential departure of midfielder Rodri, with interest from Barcelona and Real Madrid. The 30-year-old, a World Cup and Euros winner, is in the last year of his contract. City rejected a £38.5m bid from Barcelona and seeks at least £70m, with Barcelona's latest offer of £55m plus add-ons being insufficient.[S1][S4]
Rodri is expected to report for pre-season training on Friday, but his future remains uncertain. Barcelona have promised to sign him, and he has reportedly chosen them over Real Madrid. City are prepared to keep him for another season even if it means losing him for free next summer, but they are also exploring replacements should a deal be struck.[S4][S3]
Leading Candidates to Replace Rodri
Enzo Fernandez, the Argentine midfielder from Chelsea, is a top target for City manager Enzo Maresca, who previously coached him. Chelsea value Fernandez at £120m, but the fee may be negotiable. Fernandez has impressed with his attacking play and leadership, having captained Chelsea in the absence of Reece James. He returned to training this week after Argentina's World Cup final loss to Spain, where he was sent off.[S1][S3]
Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old Moroccan from Lille, is another option, with City reportedly in talks for a deal worth around £85m. Bouaddi is a deep-lying playmaker similar to Rodri and has impressed in Ligue 1 and the Champions League. Alex Scott of Bournemouth and Alexis Mac Allister of Liverpool are also on City's radar, with Scott's energy and Mac Allister's experience making them appealing.[S1][S4]
Leadership Void and Maresca's Plans
If Rodri leaves, City will lose a key leader, especially with Bernardo Silva, John Stones, and Nathan Ake also departing. Maresca is keen to add a homegrown player to the leadership group, which currently includes Rodri, Ruben Dias, and Erling Haaland. Dias is seen as the front-runner for the captaincy, as Haaland's style may not fit Maresca's expectations for a captain on the pitch.[S1]
Maresca has joked about Haaland's potential as captain, noting his rule that the captain must come to the bench for instructions after goals, unless he scores. Phil Foden has captained City in pre-season, and Gianluigi Donnarumma is a vocal presence. The club have already spent £116m on Elliot Anderson, but they are prepared to invest further to replace Rodri if necessary.[S1][S4]
