Pep Guardiola will get a good look at a Brighton & Hove Albion star who Manchester City could potentially make a move for next summer.
City travel to the Amex Stadium on Sunday afternoon with the Premier League giants looking to bounce back after suffering defeat to Tottenham last time out at the Etihad Stadium.
The contest can be viewed as a big one for Guardiola’s men, as back-to-back defeats would be a big blow to Man City’s confidence after coming into the 2025/26 campaign full of energy and confidence.
Although Guardiola will be fully focused on getting the three points, the legendary coach may also have an eye on one of the opposition’s players, who could become the heir to a key star at the Etihad Stadium next year.
Carlos Baleba playing for Brighton.
Photo by Crystal Pix/MB Media/Getty Images
Pep Guardiola will have an eye on Carlos Baleba on Sunday afternoon
Man City are currently working on a new contract for Rodri as his current deal expires in 2027, but it remains to be seen when this will be offered to the 29-year-old, as it remains to be seen how the Spaniard returns from the ACL injury he suffered last season.
It was reported this month that the Man City star Guardiola once labelled as “irreplaceable” is in no rush to put pen to paper on new terms, with the midfielder taking some time to decide his future.
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Real Madrid were linked to Rodri once again this summer, who have been long-term admirers of the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner, and will be ready to move for the City star if he opts for a change in his career.
Man City will be expecting the 29-year-old to sign a new deal, but if not, the Manchester club will need to start looking for his heir, which could start on Saturday.
Carlos Baleba is a player Man City have looked at in the past, but Brighton do not want to let the midfielder go until 2026.
The 21-year-old is one of the hottest number six prospects in the Premier League and was very high on Manchester United’s list heading into the current season.
Guardiola will get another look at Baleba this weekend, and it could influence whether Man City move for the youngster next summer or not, as not only would the Cameroonian be a potential heir to Rodri, but it would also deal a blow to Man United.
How Rodri compares to Baleba
Rodri and Baleba are slightly different players, as the Spaniard is a pure number six who likes to get forward on occasions, while the Brighton star is a box-to-box midfielder who is stronger in the defensive side of his role.
While Rodri uses his football IQ and tactical intelligence to perform in matches, Baleba relies more on his strength, which is a very useful attribute to have in the Premier League.
Rodri (23/24) Metric Carlos Baleba (24/25)
8 Goals 3
9 Assists 1
62 Shots 44
92.5% Pass Accuaracy 87.9%
49 Chances Created 21
42 Successful Dribbles 33
201 Duels Won 199
26 Interceptions 46
235 Recoveries 197
31 Dribbled past 32
Rodri’s 23/24 Premier League stats compared to Carlos Baleba’s 24/25 campaign
When it comes to the numbers, Rodri betters Baleba in most metrics as the Spaniard plays in a better team, and his last full year was at such a high level that it saw him win the Ballon d’Or.
However, the 29-year-old cannot go on forever, and if Man City are to sign his replacement in the near future, they would not go too wrong in signing Baleba from Brighton.