“It’s pleasing” – Potential Rodri replacement at Manchester City comments on Etihad Stadium transfer interest | OneFootball

A potential Manchester City transfer target for the forthcoming January window has commented on interest from the Etihad Stadium this week.

Etihad Stadium recruitment chiefs have been heavily linked with interest in entering the upcoming January market following the season-long absence of Rodri through injury, confirmed last month.

The Spaniard is expected to be ruled out until close to the start of the 2025/26 campaign, having sustained an anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus injury during the 2-2 draw with Arsenal, subsequently undergoing surgery in Spain.

For now, Pep Guardiola is being forced to make use of his existing options and trial new alternatives in the defensive midfield role with a view towards maintaining Manchester City’s serious pursuit of cross-competition silverware.

However, the prospect of entering the market for a new defensive midfield talent remains open, and one name that the Premier League champions have been linked with is Torino and Italy international, Samuele Ricci.

The Serie A club’s director, Davide Vagnati responded to questioning over potential Manchester City interest over the weekend stating, “I won’t comment on Manchester City.

“What I can say is that we signed Ricci when he was very young and it was an important investment, we and the President believed in him and spent big money for this player.

“He believed in his work, has improved a great deal physically, he already had the vision, and I think he is capable of playing for any coach or club.”

In light of the club’s director responding to the subject, Ricci himself went on to say, “I took a while to understand, but now I realise that in the football world as soon as you start doing well, all sorts of rumours start coming out.”

The 23-year-old continued, Look, it’s pleasing, but one mustn’t get big-headed. I know that there are still many areas where I need to improve. I see them, my friends send me articles sometimes, but I prefer to focus on something certain like what happens on the pitch.”

Manchester City have a number of players out on loan across Europe that have been utilised in the defensive midfield role, but appear unlikely to be recalled. Kalvin Phillips is currently at Ipswich Town, whilst Maximo Perrone is developing with FC Como in Serie A.