Manchester City have reportedly opened talks with Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri about a summer transfer after agreeing to match the player’s exit clause.City boss Pep Guardiola is believed to be looking for a long-term replacement in midfield for 33-year-old Fernandinho, with fellow Atletico midfielders Saul Niguez and Thomas Partey touted as potential targets.According to Spanish publication Cadena Ser, however, Guardiola has set his sights on a third of the club’s midfielders – Rodri.
The source says that the 22-year-old is tipped to become the long-term replacement for Sergio Busquets in the Spanish national team, and adds that Gaurdiola sees him performing a similar role for the Manchester club.Rodri moved to Atletico from Villareal last summer but is already being linked with a move away despite having four years left on his deal.
Cadena Ser also add that Bayern Munich – who have already snapped up the services of Atletico’s Lucas Hernandez – as well as Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United are all tracking Rodri’s progress in the Spanish capital.Rodri has enjoyed a phenomenal debut season with Atletico Madrid, and so significant has his progress been, Europe’s elite are now prepared to do battle to secure his signature. At 22 years old, the Spanish international has a lot of football ahead of him and for teams looking to rebuild the midfield for the long-term, that is very attractive. As reported by Onda Cero and ESPN, Bayern Munich, Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain and
Manchester United are the four clubs willing to pay the Spaniard’s 70 million euros buyout clause this summer. Atletico Madrid paid around 25 million euros for the former Villarreal midfielder in the summer of 2018, and it has proven to be money well spent as he’s emerged as a regular starting midfielder. Each of the four aforementioned teams see Rodri as a player who can hold down a central midfield position for the best part of the next decade. Pep Guardiola continues to search for a replacement for Fernandinho at the Etihad Stadium, and he feels that Rodri would be the perfect player to fill that role. Bayern Munich hope to reunite Rodri with Lucas Hernandez after completing a deal to sign the French defender in March, although the battle with the two Manchester clubs over a potential salary for Rodri could put the Bavarian giants at a disadvantage.