Blues may need to accelerate plans for Lille midfielder
Rodri's importance to Manchester City has never been in doubt, but his absence at the start of next season could reshape the club's summer plans. The Ballon d'Or winner is set to undergo surgery after the World Cup, according to Jack Gaughan of the Daily Mail, and that delay may force a change in approach regarding a potential midfield signing.
City have held initial talks over a move for Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi. Fabrizio Romano reports that the 18-year-old Moroccan is a target, but that four clubs are in the race. PSG are not among them, with the European champions focused elsewhere.
The original idea, it seems, was to sign Bouaddi and loan him back to Lille for the 2026-27 season, with a view to him arriving at the Etihad the following summer. That made sense for a player still finding his feet. But Rodri's situation changes the calculation.
City cannot afford to sign a midfielder they cannot use immediately. With Rodri missing the start of the campaign, there is a hole in the middle of the pitch that needs filling now, not in 12 months' time.
Bouaddi has shown enough at the World Cup for Morocco and in Ligue Un to suggest he could step up. Moving from France to the Premier League is a significant jump, but there is a sense that he is ready to make it.
The question is whether City will adjust their plan. A loan-back arrangement made sense when the squad was at full strength. It makes rather less sense when your most important midfielder is facing a delayed start to the season.
City have already completed a move for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, but another body in midfield now looks necessary. Whether Bouaddi is that player — and whether the terms of any deal change — remains to be seen.