Manchester City eyeing Torino’s Samuele Ricci after Rodri ruled out for the season | Manchester city

Manchester City are considering a move for Torino’s Samuele Ricci as they adapt to a season without Rodri following his anterior cruciate ligament injury.

Ricci, 23, played a central role in Torino’s surprise climb to the top of Serie A and excelled in Italy’s midfield role during their 3-1 win in Paris against France this month. Although he can play in a variety of midfield positions, he is emerging as one of the best young deep-lying playmakers around and will be high on City’s list if they decide they need to make a move in January to make up for Rodri’s absence. catch during the busiest period. part of the season.

Ricci would also be seen as a sensible long-term signing, and given his fee could reach £30m, he wouldn’t just be a stopgap. City must decide whether to accelerate their summer plans due to Rodri’s injury.

Ricci is right-footed, has an excellent passing range and can manipulate the ball well under pressure. At 6ft 6in tall, he has the physical presence to survive in the Premier League and could tackle and block well.

Torino would be reluctant to sell mid-season, especially if they maintain their form and are likely to reach the Champions League. But the lure of joining Premier League champions and possibly Champions League winners would likely be difficult for the player to resist.

On Friday, Pep Guardiola confirmed Rodri’s season was over following the injury he suffered in Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal.

The 28-year-old underwent surgery on his right knee on Friday morning after having to be substituted early in the first half of Sunday’s match after going down without a challenge, and will now begin his rehabilitation. “(There was) good surgery this morning for an ACL and a meniscus or something like that. He will be here next season. This season is over,” Guardiola said. “Unfortunately we got the worst (outcome). Unfortunately, it happens sometimes at this level and we will be there to support him. Good recovery now, step by step and moving forward.”

City play Newcastle on Saturday and the manager is confident he can find a solution to the absence of a player he described as ‘irreplaceable’ midweek. “What he gives us, we don’t have a comparable player, but the other players can totally replace what Rodri has given since he joined us,” Guardiola said. “We have to do it as a team and find the way to play for months without an important player. Everyone knows it.”

Guardiola was asked whether a squad with potential replacements Mateo Kovacic, Ilkay Gündogan, Bernardo Silva, Matheus Nunes, John Stones, Manuel Akanji and Rico Lewis would be better able to replace Rodri than in previous years when not all of these players were available “If we win, yes,” he said. “If we don’t win it’s because we miss Rodri.

“There hasn’t been a day in recent years when I haven’t had confidence. Of course we are stronger with him, we are stronger with Nathan Aké and Oscar Bobb and Kevin (De Bruyne).

“We know that, we don’t want it, but football happens and it’s a shame because it’s a long-term injury – eight or nine months. After that it’s not ‘you have to be ready in a month’ because if you have an ACL injury you will definitely have a lot of muscle problems a year later. That’s why it’s longer. I don’t think Rodri will become his best after just eight or nine months. We have great players and we will find the solution.”

De Bruyne remains out due to a muscle problem, Guardiola confirms.