Manchester City are planning a £60million swoop for Real Sociedad star Martin Zubimendi in January - on the advice of crocked midfielder Rodri.
City are struggling to fill the void left by Rodri following his serious knee injury, which is expected to keep him on the sidelines until the start of next season.
But now it appears Pep Guardiola, whose English champions had lost three games on the bounce before Saturday's trip to Brighton - their worst run in six years - has identified a potential replacement for his Ballon d’Or winner.
With a little help from Rodri himself as, according to a source close to the club, he has ‘briefed’ the City boss on the qualities of compatriot Zubimendi, capped 14 times by Spain.
The holding midfielder, 25, has many of Rodri’s attributes - particularly the ability to control a game and pull the strings from deep positions.
That makes him a perfect fit to step into the Etihad engine room - not just as a short-term successor to Rodri but also as his future partner when he is fit and returns to action.
And the good news for City, who have a £100m transfer kitty to blow in the New Year, is that Zubimendi falls well within their price range. He has a £60m release in his contract at Sociedad, which runs until July 2027.
Zubimendi was on Liverpool’s list of targets in the summer but, after the arrival of new Anfield boss Arne Slot, the Merseysiders opted to shelve the deal until he had properly assessed his squad.
That decision leaves the door open for title rivals City to launch their bid for the La Liga star - a substitute in Spain’s Euro final victory over England - in the January window.
