Pep Guardiola believes that Rodri has improved as a player ever since signing for Manchester City in 2019.
It’s safe to say that the City midfielder has put every doubt around his game to bed, as any and every import is barraged with question marks about their suitability to Premier League football.
So much so that Graeme Souness recently claimed that the £62.8 million (BBC Sport) man is already one of the greatest midfielders to have played in the English top-flight.
Pep Guardiola says Rodri has become a “better player” since joining Manchester City
According to John Obi Mikel, the Spanish international is the best player in the Premier League, despite the presence of superstars like Kevin De Bruyne, Mohamed Salah and Erling Haaland in England.
Such is the reputation that the former Atletico Madrid midfielder has managed to earn since his time at the Etihad Stadium, with Gary Neville claiming that he has a case for being “City’s most important player.”
Ahead of Manchester City’s upcoming showdown against Liverpool, Pep Guardiola has stated that Rodri has improved ever since joining the English giants.
“What we can say for a fact is they play a lot of minutes and Rodri is a better player. When he arrived, he was a young boy and now for the experience in the many games in the good moments, the bad moments, he has become a top, top, top, top-class player”, Guardiola said [via HaytersTV].
Rodri has been the most complete version of himself this season
In our view, Pep Guardiola has hit the nail on the head about Rodri, who is perhaps the most complete version of himself as a midfielder this season and has reached a level that many might have not expected him to reach a few years ago.
Due to Ilkay Gundogan’s exit this summer, the 27-year-old has seemingly decided to make up for his absence by also contributing majorly to the Sky Blues’ attack.
Whether it be dictating the game as a sitting midfielder or foraying forward by carrying the ball, providing assists and operating in advanced areas of the pitch, Rodri has done it all this campaign and the numbers don’t lie.
The treble-winner has registered seven goals and 10 assists in all competitions this campaign, while in the previous term, he had four goals and seven assists.
The question worth asking is despite Jude Bellingham and Ilkay Gundogan’s incredible debut seasons at Real Madrid and Barcelona respectively as well as Bernardo Silva’s continued brilliance, is there a better all-rounder from the middle of the park than Rodri in world football?
