Premier League champions Manchester City are reportedly making attempts to persuade Martin Zubimendi to join the club midway through the ongoing season.
Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff are continuing to come to terms with the absence of Rodri from the first-team squad, after the Spaniard sustained a serious double knee injury earlier this campaign.
Despite his season being heightened with success early on through the Ballon d’Or triumph in Paris, Rodri will play no part in the remainder of Manchester City’s campaign following surgery on his knee issue and the recovery period required.
As such, with Manchester City finding little success with their current options standing in for the European Championships winner, bosses within the Etihad Stadium may feel they are forced to turn to the transfer window for an able replacement for Rodri.
Among the solutions are Italian football’s Samuele Ricci of Torino, Inter’s Nicolo Barella, and Atalanta’s Ederson, although the latest name to be heavily linked with Manchester City admiration and interest is a name known to be a close compatriot of Rodri himself.
According to the information of Football Insider’s Pete O’Rourke, Manchester City could attempt to persuade Real Sociedad and Spain international midfielder, Martin Zubimendi to make the move to the Etihad Stadium in January.
It is explained that City are set to prioritise the signing of a new midfielder in the coming weeks, with the aforementioned 25-year-old among their targets with Pep Guardiola a big fan of the player, and the opportunity to work under the Catalan is seen as a potential draw.
However, the report stresses that it remains to be seen whether Zubimendi himself would be open to a move to the Premier League, despite there being a belief within Manchester City that the player could be persuaded if they decide he is their top choice in the position.
Speaking in early October, first reports of potential Manchester City interest in Martin Zubimendi was put to the player himself, to which he responded, “Until now I have thought that the best thing was to be at my club.”
He continued, speaking whilst on international duty with Spain, I am looking for my personal growth and I still have a lot to give to Real [Sociedad].”
Earlier reports from Spanish media emerging around the same time claimed that City were wanting to take advantage of Zubimendi having not signed a contract renewal with Real Sociedad and therefore maintains a €60 million release clause.
For now, Pep Guardiola has not publicly denied the idea of City strengthening their squad during the January market, but has also suggested that the squad may be at full strength in the way of fitness and injury by that stage of the season, thus reducing the need for recruitment.
