Who Man City fit sign to replace injured Rodri?

Bayern Munich Leon Goretzka, Brest Pierre Lees-Melou and Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi — Manchester City fit dey tempted to enta transfer market for January to find a replacement for Rodri?

Pep Guardiola get problem.

Di Manchester City manager say midfielder Rodri go dey out of action “for a long time” sake of di knee ligament damage wey im suffer for Sunday 2-2 draw wit Arsenal.

How long exactly wey im go dey out no dey known, City say dem need to do more tests to know di exact problem on im right knee.

But City boss need solution, becos Rodri influence for di club dey very big.

City don lose just 11% of dia games wit im for di team compared to 24% without am since im make im debut for 2019.

Di solution for di next few months dem go need to find am internally, wit di likes of Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gundogan, John Stones and Rico Lewis as di possible alternatives for di defensive midfield role, but if im absence stretch into 2025, Guardiola fit dey tempted to look externally come January.

One option wey dey possible for City na say dem fit recall Kalvin Phillips from loan spell for Ipswich, but who else wey Guardiola fit sign to replace im ‘irreplaceable’ midfielder?

If you look di data from last season, data provider Opta find out say Arsenal Declan Rice and Real Madrid Federico Valverde dey among di midfielders wey dey most similar to Rodri from Europe top leagues.

But, wit dis two wey surely no dey available, which oda options dey out dia?

Leon Goretzka (Bayern Munich/Germany)

Wit di exception of Declan Rice, wey Arsenal beat City to collect im signature, Bayern Munich Goretzka na player wey Opta find to dey most similar to Rodri.

Di 29-year-old midfielder currently dey out of favour for im Bundesliga club but im be one of di most consistent performers since dem sign am for 2018.

Wen dem compare several metrics from last season, Opta find di Germany midfielder to be most like Rodri in possession and wit im attacking threat, although if you compare im defensive side e no dey favourably .

No be natural defensive midfielder, Goretzka dey most effective as a box-to-box midfielder becos of im energetic pressing.

Martin Zubimendi (Real Sociedad/Spain)

How you fit replace Rodri? One answer na to do wetin Spain bin do dis Summer.

Wen dem take off di midfielder for half-time for Euro 2024 final against England, many Three Lions fans bin expect say dia opponents go dey veri weak.

Step forward Zubimendi. Di 25-year-old enta and control di midfield – like Rodri bin dey do – Spain den go on to lift di trophy.

Liverpool bin try to sign di player for summer, afta dem tell am say im go leave im boyhood club, but im bin no dey successful as Real Sociedad persuade Zubimendi to stay.

Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Arsenal all bin show interest in di past and e no go be surprise to see Guardiola make im move come January.

According to reports for Spain im get a £51.5m release clause and, despite a poor start to di La Liga season for Sociedad, City fit get plenty competition.

However, while many consider Zubimendi to be di obvious solution, if you compare a number of metrics wit oda players below, im no go come out top in any category.

Adam Wharton (Crystal Palace/England)

Di 20-year-old enjoy fast rise from Championship side Blackburn Rovers to become one of English football most highly rated youngsters.

For Crystal Palace, Wharton dey used as a defensive midfielder but im also dey capable of playing in a more attacking role.

Out of di six players listed here, Wharton average tackles per league game (3.31) and average interceptions (1.38) na di second highest, dis suggest say im fit add di solidity wey City go miss for Rodri absence.

Wharton na unused member of England Euro 2024 squad, dem bin dey link am wit di likes of Bayern Munich and Manchester Utd for summer, even though im just sign for di Eagles for January.

Im signature no go cheap though, young English talent dey always command a premium price.

Bruno Guimaraes (Newcastle/ Brazil)

Di Newcastle Brazil midfielder bin dey linked wit City for summer but im reported £100m release clause put di defending champions off.

Now wey Rodri dey out, City fit dey tempted to renew any interest, and more seriously for dis kain time?

Di 26-year-old no really dey veri impressive at di start of dis season but na big influence for di heart of Newcastle midfield since im sign from Lyon for 2022.

Guimaraes come second in terms of league duels won (7.88) wen compared wit di oda players for di list – including Rodri – last season.

Newcastle go dey veri reluctant to let dia midfielder go though.

Frenkie de Jong (Barcelona/ Netherlands)

Long-term Manchester United target, City fit dey tempted to rival dia neighbours for im signature?

De Jong look like say im dey settled for Barcelona, but di club well-documented financial issues fit suggest say most of dia players dey available at di right price.

Im don play as centre-back and as a defensive midfielder but dem dey use am more for creative role for Barca.

Im don dey out of action since April wit ankle injury, but now im dey back in training, im return date still dey unknown.

Pierre Lees-Melou (Brest)

Perhaps di most unlikely name for dis list.

Di former Norwich midfielder don shine well-well since im sign for Ligue 1 Brest for 2022 and im name bin dey di league team of di season last time round.

Im defensive displays help Brest to third position for Ligue 1 and a spot for di Champions League for di first time for dia history.

Wit so much attacking and creative talent already for im squad, if Guardiola want a more defensive solution to Rodri, Lees-Melou fit be im man.

Dem find out say di 31-year-old na di fourth-most similar to Rodri by Opta and im produce di highest amount of interceptions in Ligue 1 last season.

Im also rank higher dan any player for dis list last season – including Rodri – in terms of tackles made, duals won, interceptions and possession won.