Manchester City midfielder Rodri could face an extended period on the sidelines with a back injury that may require surgery. The 30-year-old Spain captain, who led his country to a 1-0 World Cup final victory over Argentina on Sunday and won the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, is now set to miss the start of the season due to the issue.
This is the latest setback for Rodri after two injury-hit seasons. He ruptured his anterior cruciate ligament in the 2-2 draw with Arsenal at the Etihad Stadium in September 2024, ruling him out for most of that campaign. He was injured again at the Club World Cup last July, and hamstring and groin problems followed last season, limiting him to just 17 Premier League starts.
Uncertain future at City
Rodri's contract at Manchester City expires next June, and his future at the club remains uncertain. While he has expressed a desire to play in his home country again and is thought to favour a transfer to Real Madrid, the Spanish club has yet to make a concrete move. New City manager Enzo Maresca hopes to keep Rodri at the club.
After the World Cup victory, Rodri spoke about his injury struggles. "For me, it's been a very tough time," he said. "I just want the new generations to see my example as an opportunity. When you go down, you can rise again. This is my philosophy for my entire life. Of course, sometimes things go well, things go wrong, but always the positiveness."
Leeds in talks for Trafford
Meanwhile, Leeds United are in advanced discussions to sign goalkeeper James Trafford from Manchester City for a fee in the region of £50 million. The 23-year-old rejoined City from Burnley last summer in a £27 million deal, expecting to be first choice, but lost that role to Gianluigi Donnarumma after the Italian's arrival from Paris Saint-Germain. Trafford started City's Carabao Cup final victory over Arsenal in March and the FA Cup final win over Chelsea in May.
