Manchester City have just confirmed a record-breaking £116 million deal for Elliot Anderson.
They’ve been working hard to build around a post-Guardiola era.
And now, just as the picture was starting to come together, a new complication has emerged.
Rodri needs surgery.
Rodri to undergo surgery on mystery injury following Spain’s World Cup campaign
According to the Daily Mail, the Ballon d’Or winner is set to go under the knife as soon as Spain’s World Cup campaign concludes, with the nature of the injury not yet disclosed publicly but the decision to operate immediately confirming that it requires proper surgical intervention.
The rehabilitation process is not expected to be lengthy.
But Rodri will miss the start of Manchester City’s 2026-27 season regardless.
That means he won’t be available for the opening Premier League fixtures or the Community Shield.
With the best-case scenario placing his return around the Manchester derby in mid-September.
The timing is uncomfortable for Enzo Maresca.
The Italian was confirmed as Manchester City’s new head coach on Monday.
Inheriting a squad already in transition and now learning his most important midfielder will be unavailable for the opening weeks of the campaign.
However, the injury also throws a fresh spotlight on Rodri’s wider situation at the club.
His contract runs until June 2027.
Meaning City are approaching the final twelve months of his deal with no new agreement in place.
However, Real Madrid have held interest throughout the summer.
As City enter the final year of his deal, leverage shifts.
And the Bernabeu are watching.
For now, sporting director Hugo Viana can take some comfort in the fact that City have already acted with foresight.
The Anderson signing addresses one layer of midfield depth.
But Rodri is not a player who can simply be replaced by a single addition.
He is the heartbeat of the entire system.
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