Manchester City star Rodri has been ruled out for the rest of the season with a knee injury and TEAMtalk understands the club could bring in midfield reinforcements in January.
The Spanish international is undoubtedly one of Pep Guardiola’s most important players and he will be missed greatly as the Cityzens push for silverware.
Sources say that there is ”no panic’ behind the scenes at Man City despite the injury to Rodri, but they are looking at some options that could come in and help fill the void left by the 28-year-old.
Man City are reluctant to splash out big sums in January, but TEAMtalk can reveal some of the names on the Premier League champions’ shortlist.
The Cityzens have looked at Liverpool and Arsenal target Martin Zubimendi, who was close to making a move to Anfield in the summer but ultimately snubbed Arne Slot’s side to stay at his beloved Real Sociedad.
We understand that an exit is still possible for the Spaniard. Man City have shown an interest, but Liverpool are also poised to make another move for him.
The Reds had agreed to meet the €60m (£50.1m, $66.7m) release clause in his contract and Man City are considering doing the same in January.
Man City draw up midfielder shortlist – sources
Inter Milan star Nicolo Barella is also on Man City’s radar and they have been keeping an eye on him for a number of years.
The 27-year-old centre-mid’s situation is similar to that of Zubimendi’s in that he loves playing for Inter and is a vital player at the San Siro.
Barella would also be more expensive than Zubimendi, with Inter demanding a a minimum of £70m to even begin entertaining the possibility of the sale.
However, sources have said that Barella is open to opportunities to play at the highest level and therefore a move to the Etihad is possible.
Barella only signed a new contract with Inter in the summer, which is valid until 2029, so Inter hold all the power in negotiations.
We believe Man City are more likely to move for Barella at the end of the season due to their reluctance to spend big in January.
The Cityzens are also keen on Atalanta midfielder Ederson, who has previously been linked with Liverpool and Manchester United, and sources say he is a player to ‘keep an eye on’ in the coming months.
The final name on Man City’s shortlist is Crystal Palace star Adam Wharton who has been superb for the Eagles since joining from Blackburn Rovers in January.
Wharton is a key player for Oliver Glasner’s side and his fine performances saw him rewarded with a spot in the England squad.
TEAMtalk understands that Wharton has caught the eye of Man City. His age and profile are attractive for the club and he is seen as a player who could not only fill in for Rodri but become his replacement over time.
Palace will demand a premium fee for Wharton and are unlikely to entertain any offers in January. However, sources have stated that they will be lucky to keep hold of him past next summer.
Man City target Jamal Musiala, Celtic forward
Meanwhile, Man City are eyeing a move for Bayern Munich superstar Jamal Musiala next summer.
The German international is under contract until 2026 and as yet, Bayern have been unable to tie him down to a new deal despite offering him an extension.
As we exclusively revealed on Sunday, Man City are prepared to splash out €100m (£83.8m; $111.7m) on Musiala next summer.
That is probably not enough to convince Bayern into letting Musiala leave, but sufficient to at least open a serious negotiation.
We understand that Real Madrid, Manchester United, Liverpool and, to a lesser extent, Chelsea – where Musiala was a youth player – are also keeping a close watch on Musiala’s situation.
Man City are also looking to bring in a new striker to compete with Erling Haaland, following Julian Alvarez’s move to Atletico Madrid.
Celtic’s Kyogo Furuhashi has reportedly emerged as a target for Pep Guardiola’s side. Tottenham have previously been linked with the forward, who is valued at around £15m by the Hoops.
IN FOCUS: Rodri vs Adam Wharton
When it comes to the Premier League’s pass maters, Rodri is unmatched. The Manchester City star ranked in the 99th percentile among midfielders in England’s top flight last season for passes attempted per 90 minutes (92.35) and pass completion (91.2 per cent), and the 93rd percentile for progressive passes per 90 (8.04).
Wharton, by comparison, ranked in just the 36th percentile of Premier League midfielders for passes attempted per 90 (41.36), the 33rd percentile for pass completion (77.9 per cent) and the 73rd percentile for progressive passes (5.48). However, these numbers are impacted by the fact that City averaged a 65.2 per cent share of possession last term, compared to Crystal Palace’s 42.43.
Defensively, Wharton proved adept at protecting the Eagles’ backline, ranking in the 93rd percentile of Premier League midfielders for tackles per 90 (3.33) and the 88th percentile for interceptions (1.39).
Rodri’s 2.07 tackles per 90 put him in the 50th percentile, while his 1.02 interceptions ranked in the 52nd.
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