There is still two and a half months to go until the January transfer window opens for business, but that apparently hasn’t stopped the Saudi Pro League from courting one Man City ace.
Given that the Cityzens are coming off the back of a treble-winning season, there’s a reasonable enough argument to be made that the work-rate and desire might not be there for those players who might feel that they’ve ‘completed football.’
Pep Guardiola won’t let anyone rest on their laurels of course, and those who he perceives have let their standards drop will be sent on their way. There’s simply no room for second-rate players at the Etihad Stadium at present.
That’s not a description that could be levelled at Champions League final goalscorer, Rodri.
The Spaniard has been a monster in the midfield for Pep and one of the chief reasons why they remain the team to beat in the Premier League.
Perhaps that’s why the Saudi Pro League have been after him, though they’re destined to fail in their pursuit.
? Rodri: “My future? I’m very happy at City. I heard about Saudi but it would be very complicated to join a project like Saudi for me”.
“My priority in football is ambition — as sporting, individual, collective ambition. At the moment, Arabia is not there”, told COPE. pic.twitter.com/3aGrRypk9L
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) October 18, 2023
“My future? I’m very happy at City. I heard about Saudi but it would be very complicated to join a project like Saudi for me,” the player said to COPE (h/t Fabrizio Romano via X).
“My priority in football is ambition — as sporting, individual, collective ambition. At the moment, Arabia is not there.”
At 27 years of age, the player is in a footballer’s supposed peak years, and to that end it’s perfectly understandable why he might be reticent to move to the Emirates at this stage.
Losing out on another star player is unlikely to stop the Saudi Pro League’s assault on European football and its best players, and it will be interesting to see the levels that it will go to over the next two windows in particular to raise its profile.