“Certainly” – Manchester City’s transfer hopes of signing 23-year-old Rodri replacement ended by club president | OneFootball

Any hopes held within Manchester City over signing Torino and Italy international, Samuele Ricci may now have been formally ended this week.

The Premier League champions are expected to be active in the upcoming January transfer window as the club continues to seek solutions to the Rodri-sized hole left in their squad by the Spaniard’s season-long knee injury.

Reports have tied the club to interest and admiration in Crystal Palace and England’s Adam Wharton, however the latest understanding is that the South London club have no interest in negotiating a deal for the 20-year-old until at least next summer.

Manchester City are also understood to have mentioned the likes of Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi and Atalanta’s Éderson in recent weeks, but it remains to be seen whether Etihad officials would be willing to sanction a top-level transfer fee in the middle of a season.

And that draws attentions to the first name to have been linked with a switch to Pep Guardiola’s side after Rodri’s injury in September. However, Manchester City have been dealt a fresh blow in their hunt for recruits.

Speaking this week with Radio Sportivo, as relayed by Italian outlet Sport Mediaset and translated by Sport Witness, Torino president Urbano Cairo has shut down any suggestion of City signing Samuele Ricci in the January market.

“He will certainly remain with Granata [Torino’s nickname],” Cairo stressed, amid growing reports of Manchester City interest.

For now, Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff will need to source solution from within their own squad, and after Mateo Kovacic sustained a fitness blow during the November international break ruling him out for up to a month.

The Manchester City coach has recently put his trust in veteran midfielder Ilkay Gundogan in the lone defensive midfield role, but to little to no success with many left concerned about the lack of energy in the centre of the park.

December brings more fixture chaos for Manchester City as they battle fixtures against the likes of Manchester United, Aston Villa, and Crystal Palace in the Premier League, as well as a visit to Italy to face Juventus in the UEFA Champions League.