Rodri has given Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola a huge boost by claiming he can play again this season.
The Ballon d’Or winner has been crocked since suffering an ACL injury in his right knee against Arsenal on September 22. Even given the Premiership champions’ vast squad strength, the loss of the influential Spain midfielder has been keenly felt. They are currently on a four-match losing run - the worst sequence of ex-Barcelona and Bayern Munich manager Guardiola's entire managerial career, not just at City.
Guardiola said Rodri wouldn’t be fit until the start of next season meaning they expected to not see in action again at all this term. But the 28 year-old reckons he can make his comeback before the campaign ends - due to FIFA’s Club World Cup.
That takes place in the US in June and July and Rodri said: "The seasons are getting longer and this one has the Club World Cup. It is good to have a challenge and I have it in my head to return this season — we’ll see when.”
City supporters obviously want the ex-Ateltico Madrid star to extend his stay at the Etihad Stadium as well. His current contract expires in 2027 by which point he’ll have been with the club for eight years.
Given Rodri’s star is currently so high on the back of his Ballon d’Or success as the world’s greatest player, he will be a man in demand. He has not ruled out returning to Spain and admitted: “Renewal with City is not my priority right now.
“I want to recover and we’ll see. I have a contract and I’m very, very happy. But I see the Spanish league and I’m not closing doors.”
As with plenty of City’s stars, what he does next could be guided by what Guardiola decides on his own future. The success-laden boss is out of contract at the end of this season and there is still no news yet on what the 53 year-old will do next.
But Rodri said: “When I signed, I was told he would leave the following year… and we are still like that five years later.”
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