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Manchester City are ready to break their transfer record to sign Spanish midfielder Rodri from Atlético Madrid.
That is according to The Daily Telegraph, who report that City will have to pay Atlético Rodri’s release clause of €70 million (£60.6 million) to acquire the player, eclipsing the £60 million they paid Leicester City for Riyad Mahrez last summer.
City have long been searching for a long-term replacement for Fernandinho, and, believe in the form of 22 year old Rodri, they have finally identified him. The Brazilian is now 354 years old, and, although he remains a key part of Pep Guardiola’s plans, there is a need to start planning for a future without him. There is also an urgency to bring a replacement in now as the man who deputises for Fernandinho on a regular basis, Ilkay Gundogan, is out of contract at The Etihad in the 2020 and, has so far, refused to put pen to paper and sign a new deal.
Andy is an exiled English football fan living in Cyprus. He loves all sports but football is his abiding passion, and he still has dreams every now and then about scoring the winning goal in a Wembley Cup Final, even though his playing days are long gone. He follows most major leagues, across Europe at least, and has a favoured team in each. When he’s not watching, listening, reading or downloading podcasts about football, he spend his time worrying about his beloved Arsenal.