With Rodri sidelined for the rest of the season, it would take a herculean effort from Manchester City to vanquish Arsenal on their way to winning the Premier League title.
Phil Foden named Rodri as City’s most important player — exemplifying how damaging his injury could be to the champions of England’s hopes of retaining their league crown this campaign.
Pep Guardiola’s primary plan of action during the international break could be to find ways to ensure his Manchester City side are able to remain as potent as they have been in the Spaniard’s presence.
However, even for a tactical genius like the Catalan tactician, to be able to find a solution to such a glaring issue in his team would be worrying him.
In Manchester City’s last two games against Newcastle United and Fulham, their midfield has looked quite vulnerable.
Pep Guardiola may be hoping that City address Rodri’s absence in the January transfer window.
- READ MORE: Who is Rodri? Get to know Man City’s modest midfield maestro who won a Champions League final
Man City could win the Premier League over Arsenal if they repeat Aymeric Laporte transfer trick
In January 2018, Manchester City famously signed Aymeric Laporte for £57 million (BBC Sport) from Athletic Bilbao — a club-record signing at the time.
During the 2017/2018 season, Vincent Kompany was suffering various injury problems.
The Belgian had missed 14 out of Manchester City’s first 25 league games through injury.
However, Laporte’s signing meant Pep Guardiola did not just have to rely on John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi to be fit at all times to help steer his side towards his first league title.
Out of the 14 league games that the Spanish international was available for, he started as many as nine times during the business end of the campaign.
As Manchester City explore how to replace Rodri currently, they too should be willing to splash the cash as they did on Laporte in order to beat Arsenal as well as Liverpool to the league title.
Even if City manage to cope in the £62.5 million anchor’s absence until the winter window opens, a potential injury to either Mateo Kovacic or Ilkay Gundogan — two players who have been deployed in the number six role could leave their midfield in dire straits.
A new signing at the base of midfield who is expected to hit the ground running like Laporte could become an instant starter like he did back in 2018 and also add depth to the position.
Pep Guardiola will also have the luxury of revamping his midfield set-up in Rodri’s absence — an option he would have liked to have even when he was fully-fit.
Mikel Arteta’s side have looked like the real deal once again this season and in Declan Rice, Jorginho and Thomas Partey, they have three quality holding midfielders within their ranks.
While even Liverpool have both Ryan Gravenberch and Wataru Endo to choose from.
A natural number six would also ease the burden off Kovacic and Gundogan, who are both central midfielders by trade.
Furthermore, to expect either to operate at world-class levels in a role that is not natural to them when they are in their thirties is a big ask.
With a top-quality defensive midfielder within their ranks, Manchester City have showcased that they remain a superior team to the Gunners in the last two league seasons.
Especially when Kovacic and Gundogan are expected to step up to an extent where Manchester City not just play well but usurp an elite side of Arsenal’s ilk to win the league title.
Whether Manchester City take inspiration from their ploy to sign Laporte and take the same approach to replacing Rodri in January will be interesting to see unfold.
