Alan Shearer makes Man City transfer prediction and explains 'horrible' Rodri recovery

Alan Shearer believes Manchester City may be forced into the transfer market if it is confirmed that they will lose midfield lynchpin Rodri for the rest of the season.

The reigning Premier League champions have confirmed that the knee injury sustained by the Spaniard in Sunday’s 2-2 thriller with Arsenal is serious – but the club are yet to confirm whether the 28-year-old will need surgery despite reports that he has torn his cruciate ligament.

Newcastle and Blackburn legend Shearer knows exactly what Rodri will be going through – after tearing his ACL twice during his own playing career – but he reckons the blow could prompt City boss Pep Guardiola to strengthen his squad in January if it helps him land a fifth consecutive title.

Shearer told Betfair: “There’s no doubt that a potential season ending injury to Rodri will have an impact on Man City’s title hopes.

“He’s one of their best players, he’s been the boss in that position for a while now and we all know how important he is. It’s one thing knowing you’re not having him for two or three games, like they had at the beginning of the season, but it’s another thing knowing that he’s probably not going to come back this season.

“That’s a big blow and I don’t care who you are and what resources you’ve got – and Man City have a lot – when you lose a player of that calibre and quality, for that amount of time, there’s no doubt it’ll hurt them.

“Rodri has been the best in that position and we know what he does and how much he stops the opposition. Not only that, but it’s also what he gives to them as a leader.

“There’s no doubt that Man City have some good players to come in – and maybe they’ll dip into the transfer market in January if they can.

“But in terms of an impact, this does have one. It has an impact for Man City – and it also has one for the rest of the league who are chasing, particularly the likes of Arsenal, Liverpool or whoever that may be.

“If you lost someone who was a squad player or someone you could replace, it’s still a big blow, but not so much when you’ve got someone of equal ability to come in.

“Man City don’t have that because Rodri is the best at what he does in world football, so that’ll give other clubs the opportunity to go and make the most of someone else’s misfortune.”

Shearer is now a highly-respected pundit following a glittering playing career that saw him become the Premier League’s record goalscorer.

He knows from his own experience that physical and mental barriers that Rodri will now have to break through if the initial fears about the injury are confirmed when he is examined by renowned sports injury specialist Dr Ramon Cugat in Barcelona.

Shearer added: “I’ve been there myself in terms of an ACL injury and I was out for six or seven months so I know exactly how Rodri will feel and how the football club will feel. It’s a long road back.

“It’s horrible, it really is. It’s devastating because what you love doing most is going into training, having the craic with the lads, then obviously playing football, and that’s been taken away from you for however long.

“Whether it’s five months, six months, seven months or whatever it may be, it’s a long road back.

“You’ve got the operation, if Rodri is going to have that, then you’re in a rest period and then you’re in rehab period. It’s a long road back and you have to be really strong mentally to get over it.”