Manchester City Start Search for Rodri Successor After Barcelona Move

Manchester City will attempt to identify a successor to Rodri after the Spain captain completed a move to Barcelona earlier this week. Manager Enzo Maresca acknowledged the scale of the task while presenting it as the latest transition for a club that has repeatedly replaced major figures. BBC Sport reported the details of the transfer and City's plans on Saturday.

Watch the highlights: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=geGOB3PHmbs

Rodri has signed a four-year contract with the reigning Spanish champions after Barcelona agreed a fee of about £65 million, according to the BBC report. The 30-year-old had entered the final 12 months of his Manchester City contract. City offered him an extension, but those discussions did not produce an agreement before his departure.

The midfielder leaves after seven seasons at the Etihad Stadium and almost 300 appearances. During that period, he won four Premier League titles and the 2024 Ballon d'Or. He also scored the only goal in City's 2023 Champions League final victory, one of the defining moments of his time with the club. Rodri then captained Spain to a World Cup triumph this summer.

Maresca said City would "try to find the new Rodri" and pointed to the club's record of succession in key positions. He cited Kevin De Bruyne following David Silva, Erling Haaland succeeding Sergio Aguero as City's leading striker, and Rodri taking over the midfield role previously held by Fernandinho. His message was that recruitment must again provide the answer when an established player moves on.

City have already added England midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a club-record £115 million fee. BBC Sport also reported that the club are in advanced talks over Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi. The same report said City have not abandoned interest in Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez and are interested in Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister. Those moves remain potential business rather than completed transfers.

Further departures are also possible before the window closes. Tottenham have agreed a £75 million fee for winger Savinho and are in talks over City forward Omar Marmoush, according to the BBC. Maresca said some players want to leave and that City do not intend to retain those who do not want to stay. With 10 days remaining in the window, the manager said he hopes the club can complete the business it needs.