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Manchester City may have received a massive blow in their winter transfer window plans as reported prime target removed himself from contention.
Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi has shut down rumours that he could be Manchester City's replacement for Rodri in the January transfer window.
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13:00 - 08.10.2024
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The Citizens want an all-action midfielder and the Spain international is top on the list.
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Rodri’s enforced absence
Rodri has probably been Manchester City's most important player, and it is evident in the statistics, as they did not lose a single league game with him in the side last season—they lost three when he was not in the team.
His importance is also highlighted by the number of games he has played, as Pep Guardiola has rarely rested him in the previous two seasons. A report from Fifpro revealed that Rodri was on the ‘red line’ in terms of his physical well-being, as he was playing the maximum 50-60 matches a season.
The Cityzens have now been forced to do without him for the considerable future after he hurt his knee ligaments in the 2-2 draw against Arsenal at the Etihad.
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Zubimendi dispels rumours
Pep Guardiola confirmed that they were discussing internally whether to find a temporary replacement for such a key player in the January transfer window. Pulse Sports reported that the Cityzens will have a £100 million war chest at their disposal, given their low-key summer.
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Real Sociedad’s Zubimendi, who aptly stood in for an injured Rodri in the second-half of the European Championships final against England, is believed to be a perfect replacement for his compatriot at Manchester City, and many outlets have linked him to the club.
However, Zubimendi is famously loyal to La Reale, having previously rejected advances from Barcelona and Liverpool. He has once again reiterated his stance to continue at the Reale Arena, amid reported interest from the Premier League champions.
"There are always rumours but so far I've always thought that the best solution for me is staying at Real Sociedad," he said, per Fabrizio Romano. “I've still a lot of things to give to this club, I still wanna grow and develop here.”
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