Temporary replacement for Rodri. Manchester City eyeing Torino's Samuele Ricci
In the fifth round of the English Premier League match between Manchester City and Arsenal, one of the Citizens' key players, Rodri, suffered an injury. He left the field, and it was later revealed that he would face a lengthy rehabilitation process. Although head coach Pep Guardiola stated that the team has options to compensate for his absence, City has begun searching for a temporary replacement for the Spaniard.
Details: Guardiola confirmed that Rodri would be sidelined for the remainder of the current season and would not return until the following one. However, he did not specify exact timelines, suggesting that Rodri's return might extend into the middle or even late stages of the 2025/26 campaign.
Manchester City is already considering the necessity of finding a replacement for Rodri and is evaluating the potential acquisition of a new player. It seems they have identified a top candidate on their list.
According to The Guardian, Manchester City is interested in Torino star Samuele Ricci from Serie A. The 23-year-old Italian has made an impressive start to the season, with his team currently leading the Italian league after five rounds.
The player's contract is valued at €22 million according to the statistical portal Transfermarkt, but City is reportedly willing to spend around €30 million on this acquisition.
- Also read: "Now we are at war." Guardiola on the growing tension between Manchester City and Arsenal
Reminder: Samuele Ricci is a product of Empoli's youth academy and joined Torino in 2022 for €8.5 million. Last season, the defensive midfielder made 33 appearances for Torino, scoring one goal and providing two assists.
Ricci has already received multiple calls to the national team and has participated in four matches, three of which were in the UEFA Nations League. However, he has yet to register any goal contributions at the international level.
Liam Garcia
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