Since their takeover by Abu Dhabi United Group in 2008, Manchester City have emerged as arguably the most dominant side in English football, and for a period of time, the best side in Europe, too, having now claimed four successive Premier League titles.
Of course, one of the most notable signings came in the summer of 2021. They smashed the British transfer record by signing Jack Grealish from Aston Villa for £100m, although that record has since been broken, following Chelsea’s acquisition of Moises Caicedo from Brighton and Hove Albion last summer.
Some of the other notably expensive signings from the Cityzens have included Erling Haaland from Borussia Dortmund for a fee of £51m, which given his record for the club so far, seems like a bargain. The signing of Kevin de Bruyne, who cost a then-club record £55m, also seems like a bargain given the fact he has been integral in their success, including a treble in 2022/23.
City are clearly not shy of spending lots of money on the best players in the world to help them win the biggest trophies. They have recently been linked with another world star, whose signing would once again break their record transfer.
Man City target La Liga winger
The player in question here is Real Madrid and Brazil international attacker Rodrygo. The 23-year-old is one of the most highly-rated forwards in world football, but since Los Blancos signed Kylian Mbappe, he has been linked with a move away from the club.
According to reports in Spain, via TEAMtalk, the Cityzens are believed to have made a ‘surprise offer’ for the Brazil international this summer, amidst the reported unrest at the Santiago Bernabeu following the signing of the French captain. Pep Guardiola and his team are believed to be ‘closely monitoring’ his situation at Madrid.
According to the report, ‘not everyone is happy’ with the addition of the former PSG man, who inherited the number nine shirt at Madrid from his countryman Karim Benzema, who left just over one year ago. The report suggests that Rodrygo in particular is ‘going through a difficult time’ at the moment.
In terms of a price, one report from beIN Sports suggests the winger could cost as much as £148m this summer, smashing their club record transfer and the Premier League’s record, too. City are thought to be ready to make the former Santos man ‘one of the highest-paid’ players in world football.
Why Rodrygo would be a good signing
Last season for Real Madrid, Rodrygo was superb. The 23-year-old attacker scored ten goals and grabbed five assists in 34 La Liga games last term, as well as five goals and three assists in 13 games in the Champions League.
He has also started this season like a flash, scoring the only goal in the 1-1 draw between Carlo Ancelotti’s side and Mallorca. That was a frustrating affair for a dominant Los Blancos side, who dictated the game but dropped points in the first La Liga game of the season, despite a superb goal from Rodrygo.
In terms of his profile, the Real Madrid number 11 is a direct, two-way winger who loves to drive at defenders and get himself into one-vs-one situations. He is superb in tight spaces, thanks to excellent close control and quick feet, and he excels at combination play. His ball striking is also superb, and he is impressive when shooting from outside of the box.
Rodrygo was described as “terrifyingly good” by football journalist Sam Tighe, and it certainly rings true when considering his profile, which could help him to thrive in a dominant Cityzens side.
Why Rodrygo could be Sane 2.0
In fact, the former Santos attacker could become Guardiola’s next Leroy Sane, who was superb during his time at City. The German played 135 games for City, scoring 39 goals and grabbing 43 assists, but was particularly impressive in 2017/18.
During that season, the winger, now at Bayern Munich, played 32 games in the Premier League, getting himself on the scoresheet ten times and registering 15 assists. He was crucial for the Cityzens, helping them win the title and also winning Young Player of the Year for his exceptional campaign.
Indeed, the similarities between the pair can also be reflected in their FBref stats, with the site deeming the duo to be similar players, among those in their position in Europe's top five leagues.
It is worth noting that, for the purpose of this comparison, Rodrygo’s stats from the 2023/24 season will be used, and Sane’s from his incredible 2017/18 campaign are taken into consideration.
Their creative passing numbers are fairly similar, with the Brazilian averaging 1.74 key passes per 90 minutes, compared to the former Man City winger’s 2.12. However, the Real Madrid man averages more passes into the penalty area, with 1.67 compared to just 1.52 for Sane.
Where Rodrygo’s stats are far better than the German's are in his dribbling numbers. He averaged 6.02 progressive carries per 90 minutes, compared to 3.79 for Sane in 2017/18.
Stat (per 90)
Rodrygo (2023/24 season)
Sane (2017/18 season)
Progressive carries
6.02
3.79
Carries into the final third
4.02
1.78
Carries into the penalty box
3.18
2.38
However, Sane’s numbers for take-ons far exceed that of Rodrygo’s stats. It is perhaps surprising given the Brazilian’s impressive one-vs-one ability, but the six-foot Bayern winger was a cut above in 2017/18. He completed an average of 3.16 take-ons per game, at a success rate of 64.4%, whereas Madrid’s number 11 last term completed just 2.27 take-ons at a 40.8% success rate.
There is no doubt that a deal for Rodrygo would be a costly transfer for City to do. However, the 23-year-old could have a transformative impact on Guardiola’s side, and become the new Sane for the legendary Spanish manager. He could be the catalyst to help the Cityzens get over the line and win their fifth consecutive Premier League title.
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