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Manchester City no longer need Rodri
Paul Merson has essentially told Manchester City they don’t need Rodri after signing Elliot Anderson, though they’re still selling “one of the best players in the world.”
Rodri wants to return to Spain with Real Madrid this summer, and that seems to be the way things are going. The signing of Anderson in a £116million deal from Nottingham Forest might have expedited that sale.
Whether City signed Anderson because they knew Rodri was going to ask to leave is unclear, but they signed a pretty good replacement for him nevertheless.
Per Sky Sports pundit Merson, the club don’t need both, suggesting it’s time for the Spaniard to go.
He wrote: ‘Rodri is one of the top two holding midfielders in the world, alongside Moises Caicedo. But I don’t see how him and Elliot Anderson play together.
‘Rodri is the best in the business at ticking it over, Anderson is going to be the best in the business at ticking it over. But to play both of them in there? I don’t think they need that.
‘How many teams are going to have a go at Man City? People go to the Etihad and shut up shop and counter-attack. Do you need two holding midfielders against Hull? No, of course not. Then all of a sudden, someone’s not playing.
‘Don’t get me wrong, in the big games, when they’re playing back away in the Champions League in a quarter-final or the last 16, then you need two holding midfield players. They were a bit too open in the Champions League and were well off it last year.
‘But the holy grail is the 38 games in the Premier League. And there aren’t enough games in the Premier League for them both to play in the same team.
‘Unless they bought Anderson and he gets a season of learning under the best in the world in Rodri. But £116m is a lot to spend on someone to be an understudy. Rodri will want to play, and he won’t want to sit there and be someone’s understudy.
‘But you’re still selling one of the best players in the world.’
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Rodri to Man City progressing
TEAMtalk is aware that City opened the door for Rodri’s exit this summer after he made it clear he wanted to depart.
Real have been and remain the strongest candidate for his signature.
They want him for €50million (£42.8m) and though City want €60million (£51.3m) there’s confidence at Real over the deal.
Sources have also stated that City sounded out Paris Saint-Germain and Bayern Munich for Rodri’s transfer, but neither side is willing to get embroiled in a battle with Real.
Indeed, it’s evident that the Spanish giants are his preference, and they are the club with the best chance of landing him, so they see no point getting involved.
Negotiations are ongoing between City and Real and there’s a belief, after Rodri’s successful minor back surgery, that a deal can be wrapped up soon.
Man City attempts to auction off Rodri fall flat as Euro giant trio refuse to battle with Real Madrid
Man City attempts to auction off Rodri fall flat as Euro giant trio refuse to battle with Real Madrid