Manchester City face €50 million transfer battle with Arsenal in January | OneFootball

Premier League heavyweights Arsenal and Manchester City are likely to do battle in the January transfer window over midfield interest in the Italian game.

The Premier League champions in particular are currently in the process of understanding whether further recruitment is necessary, having lost defensive midfield mainstay Rodri for the entirety of the remaining season.

The Spain international was withdrawn early from last month’s dramatic 2-2 contest with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium, having sustained what is now understood to be damage to both his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus.

Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff have subsequently been tasked with the challenge of sorting capable solutions to Rodri’s absence, and have turned to the likes of Ilkay Gundogan and Mateo Kovacic in the meantime.

However, there remains a possibility that Manchester City could deem it necessary to venture into the transfer market and go against the usual in-house rules when it comes to the winter window, particularly if the right opportunity was to emerge.

According to the information of CaughtOffside’s Mark Brus, Torino are now ‘anticipating offers’ of around €50 million for Italy international Samuele Ricci when the transfer window re-opens in January, with ‘particular interest’ from the Premier League.

It is explained that Ricci appears to be an ‘ideal like-for-like alternative’ in Rodri’s position, after the Spaniard was ruled out for the remainder of the ongoing campaign due to a serious knee injury.

However, City are not alone in their interest, with the report pointing out that Ricci is also ‘firmly on Arsenal’s list’ as they keep an eye on the midfielder market, with Atalanta’s Éderson also recently mentioned as a possible Gunners target.

There does appear to be a substantial difference in finances, with the report claiming that both Arsenal and Manchester City value the 23-year-old at around €30 million – significantly short of the aforementioned €50 million valuation placed on the player by Torino.

The winter transfer market is notorious when it comes to financially viable opportunities for players at the level required to perform for Manchester City in particular, with clubs reluctant to weaken their own squad in the middle of a season.

Aside from the profile of Samuele Ricci, Manchester City have also been linked with a number of other solutions for the midfield role from across the European game, with Italian media tying the club to interest in the likes of Inter’s Nicolo Barella, and Atalanta’s Éderson.

Elsewhere, Manchester City have seen a €30 million obligation to buy clause triggered in the agreement that saw Yan Couto join Borussia Dortmund on a season-long loan in the summer transfer window.