Manchester City are stuck in a rut right now, with six defeats and just one draw in their last seven games putting their entire season in jeopardy heading into Christmas.
The injury to Rodri has arguably had a greater impact on Pep Guardiola's side than anyone would have expected, with the Spaniard's absence coinciding with a complete slump in form.
There's still time to turn things around in the January transfer window, though, which could prove crucial to Manchester City if they're to challenge for trophies come the end of the season. One signing might be all it takes, with a key Serie A star being targeted.
Manchester City interested in Tijani Reijnders
According to Italian publication Calciomercato, Manchester City are keeping tabs on AC Milan midfielder Tijjani Reijnders, who has been impressing across Europe for the Rossoneri this term.
A versatile player capable of playing both in forward areas as well as at the base of a three-man midfield, Reijnders has mostly played as part of a double pivot for AC Milan this season with an attacking midfielder further forward.
Despite playing further back, though, Reijnders has still proven his eye for goal in 2024/25 - he's already scored six times and has also registered three assists in all competitions, highlighting his worth to the Serie A giants. After a full season with Milan, he's now settled into Stefano Pioli's side extremely well and is one of the team's most important players following a strong Euro 2024 campaign with the Netherlands.
But while his contract runs until 2028, Manchester City are showing a real interest in acquiring his signature in either January or next summer. Milan want to tie him down to an even longer deal on better terms, though Premier League interest is starting to make things more difficult.
The report suggests he is worth at least €50m, though Transfermarkt values the 26-year-old at €30m.
In FourFourTwo's view, Reijnders is exactly the type of player that would thrive under Pep Guardiola at Manchester City. It would make a lot of sense for them to try and save their season by attempting to sign Reijnders in January, though it would take an extremely large offer to prise him away from Milan mid-season.
