Stones steps up and £52m star signs – How Man City win title without Rodri

It’s the injury that could turn the Premier League title race. Dropping points at home to title rivals Arsenal on Sunday will have riled Pep Guardiola, but the Spaniard’s angst would have then increased ten-fold the following day when his worst fears over midfielder Rodri were confirmed.

The 28-year-old limped off early at the Etihad with his side losing 1-0, the champions eventually needing a 98th minute leveller from John Stones to salvage a 2-2 draw.

He duly travelled to Spain on Monday for tests, with the results confirming an ACL injury likely to rule the Euro 2024 winner out for the remainder of the campaign.

The perceived magnitude of the blow is backed up by the statistics. Rodri arrived from Atletico Madrid ahead of the 2019/20 campaign, for what now appears a bargain £62.6million fee. He’s since racked up 260 club games and cemented a place in club folklore after his 2023 Champions League final winner against Inter Milan.

According to Opta, City’s win percentage over those appearances stands at 73 per cent. In the 45 he’s missed in the last five seasons, that figure drops to 64, with the points-per-game average also particularly noticeable. City’s average with Rodri in the side is an impressive 2.36 but without him, it decreases to just 2.04. 

Guardiola now faces the critical task of having to replace the irreplaceable. The January transfer window will represent the opportunity to bring in a new face, but in the meantime, his answer must lie closer to home.

Short term it’s Mateo Kovacic, who was thrown into the lion’s den when Rodri was taken off against the Gunners, who appears the obvious like for like replacement. But Guardiola has rarely been bound by conventional thinking, and his actual solution could represent a huge risk but at the same time, embellish the creativity in City’s midfield.

John Stones has previously been deployed in Rodri’s role at City, and the England international’s ball-playing ability came to the fore. Add in the 28-year-old’s defensive qualities, and it’s an idea that few rivals would expect, but one that Guardiola might deploy.

The plan however, is likely to depend on the fitness of Nathan Ake. The Dutch centre back is currently out with a calf injury picked up on international duty, and Guardiola will need him to return before pushing Stones up into midfield to avoid the prospect of being short on cover at the back.

Come January however, and expect City to splash out again if their title challenge is flailing. And what better replacement for Rodri than a man who adequately did just that at half-time of Spain’s final win over England in Germany this summer. 

Martin Zubimendi’s release clause currently lies at £51.5m. Rivals Liverpool publicly pursued him as their new No.6 in the summer but he stayed at Real Sociedad.

An offer from Manchester City would not only be more lucrative, but allow Zubimendi to work under his compatriot. Throw in essential guarantees over game time and regularly competing for Premier League and Champions League titles, and the 25-year-old is unlikely to be quite so loyal to the scenery of the Monte Urgull mountains.