Pep Guardiola has no shortage of replacements for Rodri, but the problem is that there is no one at the level of the Spanish midfielder. Mateo Kovacic is the most obvious candidate, but he does not control the game like Rodri. Meanwhile, Matheus Nunes has also failed to make much of an impact since moving to the Etihad.
Kalvin Phillips could be a useful option if he were still at the club, but the former Leeds man has been a bit player under Guardiola so wouldn't be seen as a real solution.
In the current climate, John Stones is perhaps the most viable replacement. The Englishman moved from his usual centre-back role to a holding midfielder towards the end of the 2022-23 season. But Stones has found success in this position because he has played alongside Rodri, almost in a teacher-pupil relationship.
Without Rodri's experience, vision and ability to improvise, the question Guardiola must answer is whether Stones can be as effective when playing alongside Kovacic.
The next option is to wait until the transfer window reopens in January. City, with a net profit of £99m in the summer transfer window, will have enough money to sign a world-class player. By then, however, the hearing into 115 financial allegations will put another layer of pressure on the Citizens.
Last Monday (local time), the independent inquiry into 115 financial allegations against Man City began. The number of allegations has since increased to 130 and could result in the club being hit with a large fine and more points deductions.
If this is detrimental to Man City, recruiting a player in that context will also be a difficult challenge. Therefore, it is impossible to predict how much the loss of Rodri will hurt Man City in the title race.
Arsenal and Liverpool, the teams most likely to dethrone Man City as Premier League champions, will take full advantage of Rodri's absence. In other words, they will test the Citizens' ability to win without the EURO 2024 champion.
Rodri is certainly a world-class player, with only Vinicius Junior being rated higher than him in the race for the 2024 Ballon d'Or. The midfielder was also named the best player at EURO 2024. Therefore, Rodri's prestige is unquestionable.
However, it is doubtful whether Man City will be able to cope without Rodri. Moreover, this has been a season in which they have had to overcome too many challenges, both on and off the pitch.
