The Sports Guru
How does Manchester City respond when a player who has anchored so much of their midfield is close to leaving? This look at Rodri’s proposed Barcelona move explains why the answer may involve more than simply finding another holding midfielder, and what the leading options could change in Enzo Maresca’s team.
Barcelona have agreed a deal worth about £65m for Rodri, putting Manchester City on the brink of losing a midfielder whose influence has extended far beyond one position on a teamsheet. The prospective move matters because City are not dealing with an isolated vacancy. Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders are also no longer part of the group Maresca must shape, leaving the manager to decide whether to rebuild around a new specialist, spread responsibility across several players, or pursue a mixture of both.
Rodri’s likely departure is therefore a test of planning as much as recruitment. City can seek a player who performs the deepest midfield duties in a familiar way. They can also choose profiles who change the pace, running and distribution of the unit. Neither route is automatically better. The important question is whether Maresca wants continuity in the centre of the pitch or believes the transition offers a chance to make the side function differently.
A departure with real weight
The Spain captain is set to join the Spanish champions on a four-year deal, with completion expected in the coming days. City signed him from Atletico Madrid in 2019 for a then club-record £62.8m. Across seven seasons, he made 298 appearances and collected 12 major honours.
Those honours include four Premier League titles, two FA Cups, three EFL Cups and the Champions League in 2022-23. Such a record does not mean a successor must reproduce every part of his contribution immediately. It does underline why the decision is difficult: replacing a player can mean replacing his technical role, his experience, his availability, or his standing within the side. One incoming midfielder may address only part of that list.
There has also been a reminder that a squad cannot be built around assumptions of uninterrupted availability. Rodri missed much of the 2024-25 campaign following a serious knee injury, while a hamstring issue disrupted parts of last season. Yet he returned to lead Spain to their second World Cup title in the summer and was named player of the tournament. He had already won the Ballon d'Or in 2024.
That combination of absence and return is relevant to City’s next call. The club know the scale of Rodri’s quality, but they have also had to consider midfield without him. A new arrival need not be presented as a clone. The more useful aim may be to give Maresca enough ways to protect possession, move the ball forward and cope with different opponents.
City rejected Barcelona’s opening £38.5m offer last week. Rodri was entering the final year of his Etihad Stadium contract, and Real Madrid had appeared a possible destination before Barcelona intensified their efforts. The agreed deal gives City clarity on the direction of travel, even if it does not dictate the exact shape of the response.
Bouaddi offers the clearest positional fit
Ayyoub Bouaddi is the name most naturally connected with a direct answer in the deepest area of midfield. The 18-year-old has reportedly held talks with City, is said to be keen on the move and is estimated to cost £85m. His age makes any immediate comparison with Rodri a demanding one, but his role is the key reason for the link.
Bouaddi operates from deep and can help set the direction of play. That is a useful quality for a side that wants control rather than simply defensive cover. A player in that role can provide an outlet for defenders, organise possession from the middle and allow more advanced teammates to take up attacking positions earlier. For City, the attraction is not only who wins the ball; it is who gives the next pass a reliable starting point.
His profile has been strengthened by experience that is unusual for a player of his age. He made 30 Ligue 1 appearances last season and impressed at the World Cup in the summer. His role in Lille’s Champions League victory over Real Madrid in 2024 also brought wider attention. Those details help explain the interest, although they do not remove the challenge of adapting to a new club and league.
Signing Bouaddi would point towards a midfield built around a recognisable holding player. It would also leave room for City to pair him with a more mobile teammate. Elliot Anderson, signed from Nottingham Forest this summer, is viewed as a box-to-box midfielder. That contrast could give Maresca a division of labour: one player helping direct the game from behind the ball, another carrying play into new areas.
Fernandez would create a different balance
Enzo Fernandez remains a possibility even though City did not submit a bid before Chelsea’s Friday deadline. Chelsea wanted £120m for the 25-year-old and were not thought to have received bids. City, however, do not see the potential deal as finished and still believe Chelsea want to do business.
Fernandez is significant because he does not force a simple replacement model. He is naturally a defensive midfielder, but Maresca used him further forward on many occasions at Chelsea when Cole Palmer was injured. Across Maresca’s 92 matches in charge at Stamford Bridge, Fernandez played 79 times. He also scored a career-best 15 goals last season.
That flexibility would let City solve more than one problem with the same player. Fernandez could contribute in a deeper role when the team needs security, but he could also support the final third when a match calls for more runners and more threat near goal. It is a different proposition from finding a player whose main brief is to sit in front of the defence.
Anderson and Fernandez are capable of playing together, which is important if Maresca wants rotation without losing variety. A partnership of that kind would not necessarily mirror the old arrangement. It could instead ask each player to share elements of ball progression, pressing and defensive responsibility. For supporters, that is the central distinction: a change in personnel may also be a change in how City want midfield to work.
Scott and Mac Allister broaden the choices
Alex Scott is another midfielder City have explored. The 22-year-old has rejected Bournemouth contract offers, although his current agreement runs until 2028 and Bournemouth want to keep him. Chelsea had a £64m bid rejected last month, while Arsenal approaches were also turned away.
Scott’s appeal rests in attributes that suit a possession-focused team. His energy, ability to carry the ball, passing into the box and willingness to win duels offer a more active route through midfield. Rather than serving as a one-for-one replacement for Rodri, he could help City progress through pressure and sustain attacks in advanced areas. That makes him relevant if Maresca sees the rebuild as a chance to alter the balance of the side.
Alexis Mac Allister is also of interest. The Liverpool midfielder has two years remaining on his contract and has been a consistent figure for the Reds, despite struggling for form during a difficult 2025-26 season. As a Premier League winner, he would bring experience of the division and a readiness to step into a leading side.
Each option carries a different implication. Bouaddi most clearly answers the need for a deep controller. Fernandez offers positional flexibility and goal output. Scott represents energy and forward movement, while Mac Allister brings established top-flight experience. City do not have to select only one idea, but the mix they choose will reveal how much continuity Maresca wants after Rodri.
The decision is about the unit, not just the name
It is tempting to treat a major departure as a search for the nearest available replacement. City’s reported interest suggests a wider calculation. The club have already added Anderson, and the departures around Rodri mean the midfield needs enough depth as well as enough quality. A signing who looks right individually must also fit alongside the players already there.
Maresca’s task is to ensure that the side can retain the ball, resist transitions and create from central areas without relying on one familiar solution. A deeper specialist could preserve a structure close to the previous model. More versatile recruits could distribute responsibility and make the team less dependent on a single player. Both approaches contain risk, but both offer a coherent route forward.
For City supporters, the transfer window will be judged less by whether a newcomer resembles Rodri in every respect and more by whether the new midfield has a clear purpose. Barcelona’s agreement may close an important chapter, but it also gives Maresca an opportunity to define the next one.
Frequently Asked Questions
The proposed deal is worth about £65m.
He is set to sign a four-year deal with the Spanish champions.
He made 298 appearances across seven seasons and won 12 major honours, including four Premier League titles.
The reported options include Ayyoub Bouaddi, Enzo Fernandez, Alex Scott and Alexis Mac Allister. City have also signed Elliot Anderson.
Research: This article uses the archived evidence supplied for this story. Story inspiration: BBC Sport's original report.