Manchester City star Rodri looks to be out for the season

According to numerous media outlets, Manchester City and Spain star Rodri is set to miss the rest of the 24/25 season, and potentially longer, after the knee injury he sustained in the dramatic draw with Arsenal at the Etihad on Sunday.

Manchester City star Rodri looks to be out for the season

It goes without saying that this is a huge loss for Pep Guardiola's side, whose lack of natural cover for Rodri has been well documented in the past. Kalvin Phillips tried and failed, before being shipped out on loan, first to West Ham United and then to Ipswich Town.

Players like Mateo Kovacic have filled in there before in Rodri's absence, whilst Gundogan played as a lone defensive midfielder during City's successful title run in back in the 18/19 season.

It is very possible that Pep goes with two sitting midfielders from now, with the idea of two "sort of number sixes" making a whole six in the aggregate. We could see Matheus Nunes get more time and play next to Kovacic, as well as the vastly experienced Gundogan.

John Stones filled in there on occasion when Fernandinho would be unavailable before City signed Rodri back in 2019, and that could be another option. In the successful treble season, Stones played in midfield whilst City had possession and that could be another avenue that Pep explores.

There is of course the January transfer window. City will try and make do until then, hoping they can at the least "be in the mix" for the title, even if not top of the league at that point, and then bring in a player in January. They feel eternally linked to Bruno Guimares of Newcastle and that could be a situation they revisit in the winter.

It's an incredibly small sample size, but in the Euros final, Rodri went off injured at half-time. Martin Zubimendi slotted in seamlessly, and Spain actually got better in the second half. Again, small sample size, but does show what difference a competent back up does.