Man City is trying to find the ideal Rodri partner.

Even though Manchester City’s season can still be considered a success, Pep Guardiola will have been tormented by his team’s fourth straight Premier League victory, losses to Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals, and Manchester United in the FA Cup final.

Although they have perhaps the best squad in England, as evidenced by their losses to United and Madrid, they have developed some vulnerabilities and have not been able to replicate their incredible treble performance from the previous season.

Is this the summer that Pep completely rebuilds himself at City? particularly in light of Kevin De Bruyne’s uncertain future following remarks he made recently on moving to Saudi Arabia.

To strengthen that section of the field, the team needs one or two more midfielders. Might one of these players come from a different Premier League team?

The Athletic reports that Guardiola wants to add one of the best midfield players in the Premier League to his club this summer: Bruno Guimaraes, a midfielder for Newcastle United.

The Brazilian’s contract reportedly contains a £100 million release clause that expires at the end of this month, so City may need to move quickly if they want to sign him for this amount.

Guardiola’s primary concern this summer is the midfield, particularly with the lack of depth in this area.

Mateo Kovacic is thirty years old, while De Bruyne is thirty, and there’s no denying that the Brazilian may be a perfect replacement for the former Real Madrid star.

Why Bruno Guimaraes might be Mateo Kovacic’s ideal replacement

 
The Croatian moved from Stamford Bridge to the Etihad last summer for a reported transfer cost of around £25 million, which seemed like a good deal given his prior success with Real Madrid.

Guardiola needed extra strength in the middle of his midfield, and Kovacic and Rodri created a strong tandem that helped the team win the Premier League once more.

The 30-year-old made 46 appearances for City in all competitions, adding the English premier league championship to his extensive collection of awards from a career filled with glory.

Mateo Kovacic, a Chelsea man, has united to transfer.
The Croatian celebrity is four years older than Guimaraes. More essential, though, is that he seems to be entering his prime, which may give Guardiola even more leverage as he looks to get even better.

When it comes to trophies won, Kovacic is the clear winner; nonetheless, Guimaraes is the only one who can be crowned the 2023–24 campaign’s superior player.

The Newcastle machine is incredibly impressive going forward, as evidenced by his current rankings in the top 3% for successful take-ons (1.85), the top 10% for assists (0.21), the top 10% for shot-creating actions (3.81), and the top 14% for non-penalty goals (0.17) per 90, when compared to his positional peers in Europe’s top five leagues.

Comparatively, Kovacic does not rank in the top 50% for assists (0.85) or non-penalty goals (0.05) among his peers in the top five leagues in Europe. However, he does rank in the top 21% for successful take-ons (1.09) and the top 27% for shot-creating actions (3.08) per 90. These numbers unequivocally demonstrate that, from an offensive standpoint, the 26-year-old is the more effective player, which will help the City team in the upcoming campaign.

Throughout the entire season, Kovacic and Rodri, a centre midfield pair, managed just 12 goals between them. The missing component for the City midfield in the upcoming season might be Guimaraes instead of the Croatian.

How Bruno Guimaraes and Rodri may have a fantastic partnership
Guardiola remarked in March, “With him, we are a better team,” in reference to his fellow countryman who embarked on a stunning City winning streak.

“The best midfield player, currently, in the world by far,” was how Guardiola described his star player, showering him with more adulation. In the months that have passed after this admission, nothing has altered either.

Guardiola’s claims that Rodri is the best player in the world are undoubtedly supported by the fact that he ranks in the top 1% for pass success rate (91.9%), passes attempted (112.71), and progressive passes (12.16) per 90 when compared to his positional contemporaries in the top five leagues in Europe.

The 27-year-old can frequently influence play and control games from the centre of the midfield thanks to his range and vision. If Rodri had someone like Guimaraes beside him, who could offer a stronger attacking threat, Rodri might be able to maintain his supremacy.

Eddie Howe, Guimaraes’ manager, has called him “magnificent,” and it’s obvious that the midfield player is the source of everything great at Newcastle.

In the Premier League season, not only did the Brazilian score seven goals, but he also registered eight assists, created 12 big chances, averaged 1.7 key passes and succeeded with 1.9 dribbles per game, becoming a key attacking threat for the Magpies and who knows what position they would have finished in had it not been for the 26-year-old.

It is clear that City have had their eye on the player for a while and a prospective move certainly makes a lot of sense, especially with the qualities that he could bring to the Etihad outfit.

While Guardiola has won everything there is to be won during his eight-year stint in charge of City, his constant need to evolve and improve is the reason why the club are still at the very top of the ladder, especially domestically.

Every so often, however, a good team sometimes needs to be taken apart and rebuilt. With a couple of his midfield options approaching the twilight stages of their careers, adding a few younger players may not be a bad thing during the summer transfer window.

Guimaraes’ profile fits what Guardiola is looking for in a player. Having served his Premier League apprenticeship in Newcastle, he could become a fully-fledged member of the elite should City come calling.

Having previously admitted he finds it “so annoying” coming up against Rodri in a midfield battle, it might be nice for the Brazilian to be alongside the Spaniard for a change – hey, if you can’t beat them, join them…