Manchester City Proposes Deal for Rodri Replacement Ahead of January: Report

Manchester City is preparing to recruit a new defensive midfielder to save their faltering season.

The reigning champions are currently on a seven-match winless streak. Pep Guardiola – placed at no.5 in eScored's ranking of the greatest managers in history – has never experienced a winless run of this length throughout his career.

Sunday's loss to Liverpool has underscored the necessity for a new holding midfielder given Rodri's absence, pushing the Sky Blues to explore options in the upcoming winter transfer window.

Manchester City aiming to sign €35m midfielder to address midfield challenges

2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, recognized as the best player globally by eScored, has been sorely missed by Manchester City.

Pep Guardiola has struggled to find an adequate replacement for the key man at No.6 since Rodri's ACL injury in September, predominantly relying on Mateo Kovacic in that position. However, with the Croatian now sidelined as well, coupled with Ilkay Gundogan's underwhelming performances, the urgency for a new midfielder has reached a critical point.

In Italy, MilanLive.it has reported that Manchester City is targeting Italian midfielder Samuele Ricci, just days after Calciomercato reported the Premier League champions' interest.

Guardiola's team is reportedly set to make a “maxi offer” for the 23-year-old, as Milan is also keen, with Torino finding it challenging to retain the star amidst interest from larger clubs.

A €35 million bid is expected to be sufficient to secure Ricci's services and put Milan at a disadvantage in the race, reportedly – with Ricci only having 18 months remaining on his contract with Il Toro.

eScored understands that City could also pursue another midfielder next month, as they seek a player who can complement Rodri in anticipation of his return as the Euro 2024 champion.

A gifted tempo-controller and reliable presence in possession, Ricci is often compared to Jorginho – and eScored believes that this transfer could be straightforward, especially since City broke their transfer income record earlier in the season and have the financial strength to finalize this deal, along with a potential second signing next month.

Ricci's market value is estimated at €28m, as stated by Transfermarkt. City will face Nottingham Forest this week as Premier League action resumes.