Manchester City ‘eye-up move for £30m-rated Serie A star as Rodri replacement’ – after Spaniard was ruled out for the season with a serious knee injury

Manchester City are reportedly eyeing a possible move for a Serie A star after Rodri was ruled out for the rest of the season due to an anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Rodri, 28, suffered the problem during City’s 2-2 draw with Arsenal on Sunday and after a series of tests this week, Pep Guardiola revealed on Friday he had undergone surgery in Madrid.

It is a major blow for City, with Rodri integral to their success in recent years, while the reigning Premier League champions have had a mixed record even without the Spaniard.

Guardiola described the midfielder as ‘irreplaceable’, although he insisted his side have the capabilities to make up for his absence.

City must now decide whether to enter the market in January to fill Rodri’s void The Guardianthey are considering a move for Torino star Samuele Ricci.

Rodri will miss the rest of the season after picking up the problem against Arsenal last week

City are keen to make a move for Torino midfielder Samuele Ricci, who is valued at £30 million

Ricci, 23, has had a brilliant start to the season as Torino sit top of Serie A after five games.

The midfielder joined Torino in 2022 after coming through the ranks at Empoli and has won four caps for Italy so far.

This included a stunning performance in the Azzurri’s 3-1 win over France in Paris earlier this month.

Ricci’s versatility is hugely attractive to City, and he is regarded as one of the best deep-lying playmakers around.

His top qualities include his passivity, while his tackling and physicality also mean the midfielder should be able to adapt to the demands of the Premier League.

The report goes on to claim that Ricci is valued at around £30 million, meaning he would be a long-term investment for City.

However, Torino would be reluctant to lose such a prized asset in January – especially if they are in the race for Champions League qualification – so a deal could be harder to do, although the temptation to join a club like City to close might be difficult for the players. player to resist.

Speaking on Friday morning, Guardiola explained that City had taken two pieces of advice from experts from Britain and Spain around Rodri’s knee before undergoing the operation on Friday.

“His season is over,” Guardiola said. ‘Unfortunately he got the worst of it [outcome]. But it is what it is. Unfortunately it happens at this level. We are here to support him, and he will recover and move forward step by step.

“What he gives us, we don’t have a comparable player, but the other players can replace in total what Rodri has given since he joined us.

‘We have to do it as a team and find the way to play without an important player for months. Everyone knows.’

Ricci has also won four caps for Italy and excelled in the 3-1 win over France this month

Ricci’s best position is as a deep-lying midfielder, meaning he could potentially fill Rodri’s void

Guardiola called Rodri ‘irreplaceable’ but said City have the players to make up for his absence

Guardiola also insisted City must be careful with Rodri – who sits on the treatment table alongside Kevin De Bruyne, Nathan Aké and Oscar Bobb – on his return given the severity of the injury.

“We know that, we don’t want it, but football happens and it’s a shame because it’s a long-term injury – eight or nine months,” he added.

‘After that it’s not ‘you have to be ready within a month’, because if you have a cruciate ligament injury, you will definitely have a lot of muscle problems a year later.

‘That’s why it’s longer. I don’t think Rodri will become his best after just eight or nine months. We have great players and we will find the solution.”

City are back in action against Newcastle United on Saturday afternoon before taking on Slovan Bratislava in the Champions League on Tuesday.