A Familiar Face in the Building
Rodri walked back into the City Football Academy yesterday, fresh from a summer that ended with the World Cup in his hands and a spot on the operating table. Spain's victorious captain has completed his holidays, undergone minor back surgery, and now finds himself at the centre of a transfer saga that refuses to go quiet.
Enzo Maresca, speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of the Community Shield meeting with Arsenal, confirmed the midfielder's return. "I just saw Rodri now in the building, I gave him a big hug," he said. "He looks good, so we'll see what happens."
There was never any real doubt that Rodri would come back after his break. He isn't the type to go on strike or force a move through tantrums. He'll stay professional while the noise around him grows louder.
Barcelona's Pursuit
The noise, of course, is coming from Catalonia. Barcelona are pushing hard to sign City's midfield general, and the clock is ticking towards the close of the transfer window. Maresca was measured when asked about it: "First of all, the transfer window is open. We can buy players, we can sell players, anything can happen."
That's the reality of the situation. Anything can happen — and according to the Daily Mail's Jack Gaughan, something probably will. Speaking on the City Social podcast with Esteemed Kompany's Steven McInerney, Gaughan said he doesn't expect Rodri to train with his teammates next week. "I don't think Rodri will train next week," he explained. "I think things will be resolved with Barcelona."
If that's how it plays out, this return to the Etihad could be a brief one. The ball, for now, sits in Barcelona's court. They need to agree to City's terms to get their man. Do that, and Rodri's second homecoming might last only as long as it takes to pack a bag.
Maresca, for his part, seems content to let the situation breathe. "Now we will have time to see each other a little bit more," he said. Whether that time is measured in days or years remains to be seen.