Rico Lewis believes Rodri's situation will not alter Manchester City's trajectory as they begin a new chapter under Enzo Maresca. The defending champions want to keep their star midfielder but are open to a sale if he seeks a move, rather than forcing him to stay for the final year of his contract at the Etihad.
Barcelona's pursuit and City's stance
Real Madrid had been encouraged by Rodri's desire to move, but Barcelona are now frontrunners. The Catalan club saw a bid of around £40m rejected this week but are expected to return with an improved offer. City are holding out for more than £60m to part with the Ballon d'Or winner.
While City remain keen to retain Rodri, the players cannot influence the decision he or the clubs make. Lewis is confident the squad's focus remains unaffected despite the uncertainty.
Lewis: 'It's football'
"Everyone in this room and everyone in the world knows how good Rodri is but it's football," Lewis said. "People leave, people stay, and I don't think it changes the landscape of anything the manager wants to do here. Everyone knows how good the manager is and it shows with his accolades."
Reinforcements on the way
City are progressing in a deal to sign Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi for a fee that could exceed £80m. With Rodri's situation and Tijjani Reijnders also attracting strong interest, Maresca could see three new midfielders arrive this month to bolster his squad.
