Real Madrid forward Rodrygo reportedly down a lucrative offer from Manchester City in the summer to stay in Spain.
Pep Guardiola's side have all but surrendered their Premier League title given the club are in seventh place with 27 points, 12 fewer than first-placed Liverpool despite having played a game more than the Reds.
The champions were beaten 2-1 by Aston Villa on Saturday afternoon, their ninth loss in their last 12 matches in all competitions.
Phil Foden might have found the back of the net late on, but City did not appear to be particularly threatening, with striker Erling Haaland looking an isolated figure up front.
The Daily Mail claims that City tried to strengthen their attack in the summer, reporting that a significant offer was made to Rodrygo but that he ultimately turned it down despite seriously contemplating a switch to England.
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Man City's offensive struggles
Much has been made of City's defensive weaknesses, and while the champions do look vulnerable during counter-attacks, Guardiola's side have only scored 14 goals in their past 12 fixtures in all competitions.
Haaland's form has been alarming considering the Norwegian has only netted three times in his last 12 Premier League games, whereas he had scored 10 goals in his first five league games of 2024-25.
Foden's goal against Villa was his first for City in the Premier League this season and just his fourth in 24 games for club and country.
Rodrygo's Real Madrid have not been particularly strong this campaign, and he has often had to play on the right side of attack despite preferring to operate on the left, but has still managed to score five goals and produce three assists in 977 La Liga minutes.
While Rodrygo would not have helped solve City's defensive issues, he would have undoubtedly offered the team a different option in the forward line, especially as his versatility and instinct in front of goal could have helped alleviate the burden on the likes of Haaland.
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Is the worst yet to come?
Guardiola has himself indicated that without the return of players such as Rodri from injury, and without reinforcements in January, City's poor form is likely to continue.
Kevin De Bruyne is also out of contract at the end of the season, and there is a real possibility that fans could be seeing the last of the City legend in England.
Additionally, other key figures such as Ederson and Kyle Walker have come under significant scrutiny for their poor performances of late, and it would seem that several areas of the squad may have to be addressed in the upcoming transfer windows.
The threat of being punished by the Premier League for breaching the division's financial rules is also a cloud that continues to hang over the Citizens.
Fans will hope that Rodrygo's reported rejection is an isolated case, and that the club are able to attract several new arrivals across the January and summer transfer windows.
Lewis Nolan
