Manchester City’s Rodri dilemma: keep the cornerstone or plan for change?

Manchester City’s current stance is to keep Rodri rather than move quickly toward a sale. Enzo Maresca has made clear he wants the midfielder back after scheduled back surgery, even as the player enters the final year of his contract.

The issue is complicated by the scale of change around City. Maresca has succeeded Pep Guardiola after a decade-long era, while Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Bernardo Silva and John Stones have all left from the 2022-23 Treble-winning starting side. City have also added Elliot Anderson and Jeremy Monga as part of a refreshed squad.

Rodri remains central because of what he offers tactically. Maresca’s midfield ideas are built around positional flexibility, with players moving between defensive, holding and attacking zones in a structured shape. Rodri’s experience, timing and ability to adjust positions make him a natural fit for that kind of system.

Anderson could help reduce the burden by sharing deeper midfield responsibilities, while City are also monitoring Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi. Both profiles point toward a broader recruitment theme: players who can occupy multiple roles in a possession-heavy side.

If Rodri stays, City retain one of the game’s most influential midfielders while Maresca reshapes the team around him. If he leaves, the new manager will need to lean on versatility, coaching and recruitment to replace a player whose tactical understanding may be as difficult to replace as his technical quality.