Manchester City scouts prepare for double scouting mission as Rodri replacement hunt intensifies | OneFootball

Officials from Manchester City are preparing to enter into a weekend scouting mission as their hunt for a Rodri replacement intensifies prior to the January transfer window.

The Spanish international defensive midfielder is ruled out for the remainder of the ongoing season having undergone surgery on a serious knee injury that would later reveal damage to his anterior cruciate ligament and meniscus.

Manchester City had originally believed there may be reason to be optimistic when initial assessments were first returned on Rodri’s injury, however later examination in Barcelona and Madrid would reveal the worst possible scenario.

For now, Pep Guardiola and his coaching staff will hold belief in their existing roster of players stepping up to the plate and filling in for Rodri without too much problem, with the likes of Rico Lewis and Ilkay Gundogan already being tipped for increased responsibilities.

However, one possible route for Manchester City to go down is entering the January transfer window for a new defensive midfield profile, and that has led to a scouting mission scheduled for this weekend, according to new reports.

As per the information of Italian outlet Calciomercato, Pep Guardiola wants a signing to replace Manchester City’s defensive midfield mainstay Rodri, and is evaluating both Inter’s Nicolo Barella and Torino’s Samuele Ricci.

It is highlighted, as translated and relayed by Sport Witness, that interest in the former is nothing new and the player has been in Pep Guardiola’s sights at Manchester City since the UEFA Champions League final meeting between the two clubs in Istanbul.

Unfortunately for the Premier League champions, several reports have highlighted that Inter consider him untransferable and according to the latest insight, an offer worth more than €70 million would need to be made just to get them to sit at the negotiating table.

As such, Manchester City are looking at Torino’s Samuele Ricci, whilst Atalanta’s Ederson and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi are also on the list being discussed within the Etihad Stadium.

Given the interest in two names going head to head this weekend, the report highlights that Manchester City will be sending scouts to Italy this weekend to monitor Inter Milan’s home clash against Torino.

Manchester City took on Slovan Bratislava in UEFA Champions League action on Tuesday night, with Ilkay Gundogan and Rico Lewis acting as the duo in defensive midfield for the most part of their possessional play.

That followed an outing at St James’ Park when Mateo Kovacic was deployed in the role with support from Manuel Akanji, enabling Rico Lewis to support Ilkay Gundogan in the attacking midfield roles against Newcastle.

It remains to be seen whether Pep Guardiola could test one further solution when Manchester City embark on their final outing before the October international break, as Fulham visit the Etihad Stadium on Saturday afternoon.