Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola is reportedly ‘fearing the worst’ with one of his ‘big stars’ amid interest from Spanish giants Real Madrid.
Man City struggled before the international break as they lost four games in a row across all competitions. Their defeats came against Tottenham Hotspur, AFC Bournemouth, Sporting Lisbon and Brighton.
The mood at the Etihad has been given a boost, though. This comes via Guardiola penning a contract extension to commit his future to the Premier League holders.
Guardiola had been heavily linked with an exit in recent months as his previous contract was due to expire at the end of this season. His new deal runs until 2026, but they also have a one-year extension option.
Man City are back in action on Saturday evening as they host bogey team Tottenham Hotspur at the Etihad and Guardiola will be hoping his side can compete without Ballon d’Or Rodri.
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The Spain international is the best defensive midfielder in the world and Man City have struggled without their key man, who has been ruled out for the season with an ACL injury.
Despite being out of action for the remainder of this campaign, Rodri has been linked with an exit and Real Madrid are one of the clubs interested in him.
Speaking earlier this week, Rodri opened the door to a move to the La Liga giants.
“When Madrid, the best club in history, the most successful, call you, it is an honour and you always have to pay attention,” Rodri said.
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He added: “I have two years left on my contract, the time is approaching to start talking again. The Guardiola deal is an important incentive. I feel very valued at the club.
“It could very well be a possibility to finish my career in England. It has given me everything and I love the football there.
“But Spain is my country. I always pay attention to the league, the level of the teams is getting better and better.”
Following this interview, a report in Spain claims Guardiola is ‘concerned and fearing the worst’ with Rodri. It is also noted that he is ‘looking for a replacement for his big star’ and Martin Zubimendi – who is being targeted by Liverpool and Arsenal – is ‘liked the most’ by the head coach.
‘Should Rodri finally decide to leave City, the arrival of Zubimendi would be key to maintaining the balance in the center of the field.
‘However, Guardiola’s priority remains to retain the Spanish midfielder. In recent weeks, the dialogue between the City board and Rodri ‘s environment has intensified to try to dispel any doubts about his continuity.
‘The future of Rodri will be one of the big topics to follow in the next summer market. Meanwhile, Guardiola continues to plan for any scenario, aware that the team’s success depends heavily on having a midfielder capable of controlling the tempo of the game as Rodri has done so far.’
