Manchester City FC v Brentford FC – Premier League
Rodri has been ruled out for the season through injury (Image: Getty)
Manchester City are reportedly planning a £60million raid for Real Sociedad’s star player, Martin Zubimendi, in the January transfer window. This comes as advice from injured midfielder Rodri, who has left a significant gap in the team due to his severe knee injury.
The injury is expected to keep him out of action until next season. It seems that Pep Guardiola, whose English champions had suffered three consecutive losses before their recent match against Brighton – their worst streak in six years – has pinpointed a potential successor for his Ballon d’Or winner.
According to the Daily Star, Rodri himself has ‘briefed’ Guardiola on the qualities of his fellow Spaniard, Zubimendi, who has been capped 14 times by Spain. The 25-year-old holding midfielder shares many of Rodri’s attributes, especially his ability to control a game and dictate play from deep positions.
This makes him an ideal candidate to fill the void in the Etihad engine room, not just as a temporary replacement for Rodri but also as his future partner when he returns to fitness. The good news for City, who have a £100m transfer budget for the New Year, is that Zubimendi falls well within their price range.
He has a £60m release clause in his contract at Sociedad, which runs until July 2027. Zubimendi was previously on Liverpool’s radar in the summer, but after the appointment of new Anfield boss Arne Slot, the Merseysiders decided to postpone the deal until he had thoroughly evaluated his squad.
