Zubimendi? Ederson? Ricci? Who might Man City target to replace Rodri?

On the backmost of 4 successive defeats successful each competitions, the chances of Manchester City signing a replacement for injured midfielder Rodri person accrued erstwhile again.

The Ballon d'Or victor is set to miss the remainder of the season aft rupturing his anterior cruciate ligament against Arsenal successful September.

Mateo Kovacic has filled successful but helium has struggled astatine times, leaving Pep Guardiola's broadside susceptible to the counter-attack.

BBC Sport has looked astatine who has been linked with the Blues successful January to regenerate Rodri for this play - and complement him successful the aboriginal - arsenic good arsenic however those players comparison this season.

The 25-year-old Spain midfielder has been repeatedly linked with Manchester City, external since Rodri's injury.

Liverpool were funny successful the summertime but helium opted to enactment astatine Real Sociedad.

He reportedly has a £51.7m merchandise clause, external but that is improbable to hinder City from making an attack for a antheral who tends to play arsenic a antiaircraft midfielder, but tin besides diagnostic a spot further forward.

He has played with Rodri for Spain and was awesome erstwhile replacing the City antheral astatine half-time successful the Euro 2024 last triumph implicit England.

Sociedad regularly play successful Europe, but Zubimendi has lone experienced 1 play of Champions League football.

The 25-year-old Brazilian is different who has been linked, external with the Blues.

He's a mainstay of the Atalanta team, but this play is his archetypal sensation of Champions League shot and that whitethorn beryllium a concern.

He tends to play a cardinal midfield role, but has played some deeper and further forward.

The interest helium would bid would beryllium 1 of the highest among the imaginable options but astatine his property he'd beryllium an concern a longer play too.

The 23-year-old Italian was 1 of the archetypal names linked with City aft Rodri's injury.

There were reports, external that the Blues sent scouts to ticker Torino's crippled against Inter Milan to formed their oculus implicit Ricci.

He is susceptible of playing arsenic a antiaircraft midfielder oregon somewhat further guardant and has go a regular successful Italy's squad since Euro 2024.

His vocation is connected an upward trajectory but helium has ne'er played successful immoderate European nine competitions, and that could number against him.

Ricci has admitted to watching videos of Rodri, external to amended his game. Will helium beryllium lining up alongside him?

The 30-year-old Turkey midfielder has been mentioned, external successful the past mates of weeks.

He's much experienced than a batch of players reportedly being considered, and reports accidental Inter Milan "could beryllium open" to selling him.

He has immense acquisition successful the Champions League and would connection versatility, with antiaircraft midfield his main role, but helium has the quality to propulsion guardant too.

Bayern Munich, who are managed by erstwhile City skipper Vincent Kompany, are besides reportedly interested.

The 26-year-old Netherlands midfielder has been mentioned arsenic a people successful caller weeks.

Reports suggest City person "tested the waters", external implicit a move, with others saying Milan are readying to treble his wages to ward disconnected the attention.

Reijinders tends to play a spot further guardant successful cardinal midfield, which whitethorn complement Rodri erstwhile helium returns.

He's had acquisition successful the Champions League successful the past 2 seasons too.

The 20-year-old England midfielder was linked with the bulk of apical Premier League sides aft his awesome commencement astatine Crystal Palace, who helium joined successful January.

That earned him a call-up to Gareth Southgate's squad for Euro 2024 and different determination seemed lone a substance of time.

Wharton has struggled for signifier this play and is presently retired injured aft country for a groin issue.

That means a determination successful January is unlikely, but City and different clubs astatine the apical extremity of the Premier League volition beryllium keeping an oculus connected him, particularly with him capable to adhd equilibrium to immoderate midfield being left-footed.

The 27-year-old Netherlands midfielder has often been linked with a determination to the Premier League, including City, earlier opting to spell to Barcelona.

His sanction hasn't been mentioned arsenic a imaginable go-to present though, arsenic helium is presently struggling for signifier and fitness.

He would perchance beryllium a bully foil for Rodri though, with De Jong capable to play a spot further forward.

He would besides travel with immense amounts of acquisition successful some home and European football.

A rogue shout, but the 29-year-old Germany midfielder isn't successful favour astatine Bayern Munich and whitethorn privation a move.

He astir apt isn't a like-for-like replacement for Rodri but could beryllium a bully foil successful a partnership.

Goretzka has a ample magnitude of experience, particularly successful the Champions League, and could adhd different constituent to City's midfield.

It does consciousness improbable though.

Perhaps the imagination signing for City, but it surely won't hap successful January.

It's been reported, external earlier that Guardiola "would emotion to sign" Barella but it has not been possible, with the 27-year-old pivotal to Inter's occurrence successful Italy and Europe successful caller seasons.

He would connection City versatility successful midfield and feels similar a subordinate that would complement Rodri well.

It whitethorn beryllium 1 for further down the enactment though.

It's hard to find a existent standout among the options available. It is adjacent much hard if you commencement to comparison immoderate imaginable acquisition to Rodri, who is the champion successful the world.

Zubimendi has antiaircraft qualities that volition basal retired to City - his tackles (2.6), interceptions (1.1) and clearances (2.2) per 90 minutes are the champion among the players highlighted successful this piece.

His passing accuracy is beauteous coagulated astatine 86.9%, but his fig of attempted passes is among the lowest. However, you person to instrumentality into relationship the squad he's playing for. Sociedad are a bully team, but beryllium eighth successful La Liga - he'd spot adjacent much of the shot astatine City.

It besides depends what benignant of midfielder City people and what relation they expect them to play erstwhile Rodri returns.

Rodri himself is versatile and has developed his crippled to adhd much dribbling and drives guardant - it's not retired of the question he'd determination into a centre-midfield relation upon his return.

That whitethorn mean City privation a defensively dependable option, specified arsenic Zubimendi oregon Wharton.

If Rodri stays successful the six relation - antiaircraft midfielder - past City whitethorn opt for a ball-playing midfielder and that means Reijnders and Calhanoglu (he has the highest passes into the last 3rd among the contenders) travel to the fore with their awesome passing accuracy.

There's besides the unknown. Torino, who Ricci plays for, are presently 11th successful Serie A. He'd beryllium alongside amended players and person much of the shot astatine City. Is determination untapped imaginable for City to unlock?

Rodri volition ever beryllium a instrumentality favourite astatine City aft scoring the extremity that secured their archetypal Champions League trophy and becoming their maiden Ballon d'Or winner.

However, erstwhile helium joined the club, determination were doubts astir his semipermanent suitability to regenerate Fernandinho. It took clip for those fears to beryllium allayed.

The 28-year-old has developed his crippled implicit the years and continually made strides to improve.

He was superb arsenic the nine won the Treble successful 2022-23, but improved successful astir each facets of the crippled past season.

His goalscoring roseate from 4 to 9 successful each competitions, portion helium made and completed much passes. He won much duels and completed much tackles.

And comparing Rodri's stats from past play to the stats from this play of the imaginable arrivals listed above, shows the standard of the task facing immoderate caller signing.

Rodri would beryllium apical of some attempted and palmy passes, arsenic good arsenic duels won.

He'd beryllium 3rd for passing accuracy and tackles won. He'd beryllium down successful sixth for interceptions, but City often predominate possession.