Manchester Metropolis’s worst fears have been confirmed this week, when scans revealed that midfielder Rodri suffered a critical knee damage in final weekend’s 2-2 draw towards Arsenal.
The Spanish star went down after tussling with Thomas Celebration in the course of the first half of the conflict between the 2 title contenders and needed to be withdrawn. With Kalvin Phillips unable to be recalled, a alternative could have to be sourced.
“When the staff would not play with the very best midfielder on the planet, for a protracted, very long time, it’s a massive blow,” Guardiola mentioned forward of his facet’s midweek win over Watford. “Rodri is irreplaceable.”
Manchester Metropolis determine Rodri alternative
However as Metropolis put together for all times with out one among their most vital gamers, Guardiola added that it was his job to discover a resolution.
“In soccer it occurs and my obligation is to discover a resolution to be aggressive and proceed to be an issue for our opponents. I’ll discover a resolution. We are going to do it.”
In line with a report in Italy, one resolution that the membership are weighing up is to usher in a brand new participant when the switch window opens in January.
InterLive claims that Pep Guardiola is ‘able to steal’ Hakan Calhanoglu from Serie A champions Inter Milan, with the participant himself mentioned to be ‘tempted’ by a transfer to the Premier League facet.
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Guardiola acquired a first-hand take a look at the Turkey worldwide in motion earlier this month, when Inter boss Simone Inzaghi deployed the 30-year-old in central midfield for his facet’s goalless Champions League opener towards Metropolis.
The report provides that Metropolis are keen to make a €50 miliion bid for Calhanoglu, who been a daily in Rodri’s defensive midfield place since he joined Inter from native rivals AC Milan on a free switch in 2021.
VIDEO The ONLY Means Man Metropolis Can Survive With out Rodri
Calhanoglu has 92 caps for Turkey and was part of their Euro 2024 squad that reached the quarter-finals in Germany this summer time. FourFourTwo ranked him because the eighth-best defensive midfielder on the planet earlier this 12 months.
In FourFourTwo’s opinion, spending €50m on a 30-year-old midfielder that has by no means performed within the Premier League and is valued at €45million by Transfermarkt wreaks of “panic purchase”.
It might be unrealistic to anticipate Calhanoglu to immediately adapt to Guardiola’s exacting strategies and play a major half within the second half of the season, and what’s extra, it isn’t the supervisor’s fashion.
Mateo Kovacic is within the driving seat to interchange Rodri, however do not rule out Pep stunning us with a curveball choice equivalent to Rico Lewis, Bernardo Silva or John Stones in a brand new function.