Rodrygo has been linked with Arsenalplaceholder image
Rodrygo has been linked with Arsenal | Getty Images
Pep Guardiola is an admirer of Real Madrid’s Rodrygo, but could a creative swap deal be the best way to lure the winger to Man City?
Pep Guardiola knew that Manchester City had to rebuild and refresh last season and decided that the winter window was the best place to start rather than trying to do it all in the summer.
The difference this has made is that, unlike Liverpool who spent big after winning the Premier League title, City were able to fine tune and add players to those who had already had time to settle in at the Etihad.
The dominant win over Liverpool served as a reminder to the rest of the division of what the eight times Premier League champions are capable of on their day. What they need now, is consistency and to find goals from other places other than the freakishly talismanic Erling Haaland.
Man City keep an eye on Rodrygo
One player who could assist the great Norwegian has been linked with a possible move to City and who remains a player that Guardiola admires is Real Madrid’s Rodrygo. According to transfer supremo Fabrizio Romano, the winger was a consideration before the window shut, on one condition:
“Rodrygo (de Silva Goes), last summer, was an option for Manchester City. In the summer, Rodrygo was the main option wanted by Pep Guardiola if Savinho left. Savinho ended up staying, not joining Tottenham despite proposals. And Manchester City extended his contract in the recent weeks, so that’s the situation of Savinho.”
Romano continued by claiming, “Rodrygo remains a player appreciated by Pep Guardiola, but no fresh contacts took place since then, and that was August – so three, four months ago.”
Man City should offer Real Madrid a swap deal for Rodrygo
Rodrygo might not be as elusive a dribbler as Jeremy Doku or as technically proficient as Phil Foden, however, with 121 goals and assists in 283 appearances for Madrid, the 24-year old has proven quality when it comes to an end product. Capable of playing off the left, the Brazil international has spent most of his recent seasons playing on the right to accommodate Vinicius Jnr and Kylian Mbappe before Xabi Alonso arrived and changed formation.
Madrid are well stocked for forwards and wingers, but what they could do with is a centre-half capable of playing out from the back and who can also cover at full-back too. Nathan Ake has been a good servant to City but now finds himself down the pecking order and is approaching the last 18-months of his contract at the Etihad having already been linked with Everton. Dean Huijsen has been criticised in recent weeks and an experienced head to challenge and mentor him could be exactly what the young centre-half needs.
Antonio Rudiger and David Aliba are both out of contract in the summer of 2026 and Alonso might consider sanctioning a move that would see him lose a high earning player who isn’t a regular starter whilst receiving a no risk signing who could immediately improve his first XI. If City get creative and offer a swap deal plus money for Rodrygo, it could be the best way to kill two birds with one stone. A front three of Doku, Haaland and Rodrygo is the perfect blend of goals, creativity and pace.
Much like Raheem Sterling benefitted in the past, Rodrygo could be the perfect foil for Doku on the other flank and ghost in at the back post whilst the Belgian winger causes carnage and distracts defenders. It could also be the City attack for several years, if Guardiola follows up his admiration and summer interest after an £85m offer was considered. The Brazilian in one of the continent’s best forwards who is currently wondering where it all went wrong.
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