Torino midfielder Samuele Ricci has reportedly emerged as a transfer target for Manchester City, as the Citizens come to terms with the fact that Rodri will miss the remainder of the campaign.
Rodri, 28, suffered a knee injury in the early stages of last weekend's Premier League clash with Arsenal, and it has now been confirmed that he will be absent for the rest of the 2024-25 season.
"He had surgery this morning - ACL and some meniscus, so next season he will be here. This season is over," Man City boss Pep Guardiola told reporters during his press conference on Friday.
"We got the worst [news possible] but it is what it is. Sometimes, unfortunately it happens. We are there to support him. Good recovery, step by step and we move forward."
Guardiola later refused to rule out the club moving for a replacement in January despite the likes of Mateo Kovacic and Ilkay Gundogan being able to fill that role.
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Rodri will miss the rest of the season with serious knee injury
"We will talk, we will see what is going on. We have time to see," Guardiola said when asked whether a replacement could arrive in the winter market.
"Mateo Kovacic [who played the first four games when Rodri was absent] and I have a few more. Ilkay Gundogan can play in that position, John Stones have too. We have alternatives."
According to The Guardian, Man City are considering whether to make a move for Torino's Ricci when the winter transfer window opens for business.
The report claims that Torino would be looking for a fee of around £30m in order to let the Italian leave in January, although they would look to persist a mid-season transfer if possible.
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Would Ricci be a good signing for Man City?
The 23-year-old started his professional career with Empoli, making 90 appearances for the club between 2019 and 2022, before arriving at Torino, and he has featured on 84 occasions for his current side.
Ricci, who is a four-time Italy international, has been a key player for Torino in the early stages of this season, making seven appearances in all competitions, contributing one assist in the process.
A right-footed midfielder with an impressive range of passing, Ricci is believed to be on the radar of a number of major European clubs due to his recent development.
Man City will not be able to bring in a player as good as Rodri in January, and Ricci is certainly a different style of midfielder, but he appears to have the skill set required to thrive in the Premier League, and if a deal could be done at around £30m, it could be an excellent piece of business from the English champions.
