Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is reportedly interested in signing Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante this summer.
The 22-year-old – known as Rodri – has been a regular in Diego Simeone’s starting XI this season, taking in 38 appearances for the club across all competitions.
The Spaniard joined Atletico last summer from Villarreal and he has made the transition to one of European football’s top clubs seamlessly, helping the team challenge at the top of La Liga.
According to Spanish radio station Onda Cero, Guardiola is a huge admirer of Rodri and he is eyeing a possible €70 million transfer swoop for the youngster when the market reopens in May.
That fee would match the buy-out clause in Rodri’s current contract at Wanda Metropolitano, but he is technically tied to remain at the club until 2023.
The Spanish ace has been likened to one of Guardiola’s former Barcelona charges Sergio Busquets – as per ESPN – and he could be the ideal man to succeed Fernandinho in a holding role at the Etihad Stadium.
The Brazilian is approaching the latter stages of his career at 33 and City are therefore desperate to bring in reinforcements in his position ahead of the 2019-20 campaign.
Rodri has only been with Atletico for a short while, but the allure of playing in the Premier League could be too great for him to turn down if City launch a formal bid this summer.
Guardiola moulded arguably the greatest side in football history during his four-year stint in charge at the Camp Nou between 2008 and 2012, with Busquets very much at the heart of his plans in the middle of the park.
If Rodri can become even half the player his international colleague is in the coming years, he will surely be among the finest midfielders in Europe and City would greatly benefit from adding him to their ranks.
