Manchester City’s Rodri has made it clear that there is one member of his Spanish national team that he would ‘take’ to the Etihad Stadium ‘without a doubt’.
The 28-year-old alongside his fellow countrymen went all the way during last summer’s European Championships in Germany, defeating the likes of Germany and France en route to a final victory over England in Berlin.
It was his performances at Euro 2024, alongside his role in Manchester City’s Premier League and FIFA Club World Cup success, that ultimately proved to be the difference in the race towards the Ballon d’Or in October.
But it was not just Rodri who shone for Luis de la Fuente’s side in Germany throughout the summer, with a number of Spain’s attacking talents breaking onto the global stage at the all-important moment for their country.
One of those names is Nico Williams, who provided both a goal and an assist as part of Spain’s 4-1 comeback win over Georgia in the Round of 16, as well as a further crucial goal at the final stage against Gareth Southgate’s England.
Speaking to Spanish newspaper AS, Ballon d’Or winner Rodri has admitted that right now, he would ‘take’ Athletic Bilbao and Spain’s international in Williams to Manchester City, ‘without a doubt’.
As translated and relayed by Sport Witness, Manchester City’s defensive midfielder said, “Right now, I would take him to City, without a doubt, so that he feels the cold of Manchester, well it’s similar to Bilbao.”
Manchester City are likely to be interested in bringing fresh attacking impetus into Pep Guardiola’s squad during the summer months, as club officials target a crucial rebuild to ensure the organisation remains competitive across competitions.
The priority position and targets are likely to centre around the midfield roles, with the club desperately requiring fresh legs at a time when they are struggling in the absence of Rodri and with Ilkay Gundogan as their only defensive midfield option.
Reoccurring fitness concerns around John Stones could throw his future into doubt and raise the question as to whether Manchester City need more central defensive recruitment, while there are growing worries around Kyle Walker’s ability to perform at the highest level.
