Manchester City were given another reminder of the task that Pep Guardiola faces in turning their fortunes around on Sunday afternoon, when the four-time defending Premier League champions suffered a chastising 5-1 defeat to Arsenal at the Emirates Stadium.
It was City's seventh league defeat of the season and means they sit 15 points behind leaders Liverpool, six behind surprise package Nottingham Forest and only in the top four on goal difference.
City has responded by making three major signings already in the January transfer window, with Omar Marmoush, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis arriving for a combined £120million, but they are now reportedly facing a battle to land another of their targets before Monday night’s 11pm deadline.
Manchester City are moving for a Rodri replacement before deadline
While City’s woes this season cannot be attributed to one single issue, the absence of 2024 Ballon d'Or winner, Rodri, who suffered a potentially season-ending anterior cruciate ligament injury in September, has been keenly felt at the Etihad.
Reports have suggested that the club have identified Porto midfielder Nico Gonzalez as a potential replacement, with Guardiola a long-term admirer of the 23-year-old who began his career at Barcelona and is a Spanish U21 international.
According to Portuguese outlet Jornal de Noticias, Porto have turned down a €50 million bid for the midfielder and will hold out for the player’s full €60m release clause.
One key aspect in any potential move is the 40 per cent sell-on clause that Barcelona are entitled to receive, which is why Porto, who sit third in the Liga Portugual table, 14 points behind leaders Sporting, are digging their heels in over the versatile young star, who usually operates in front of the defence, but can play in more advanced roles.
Gonzalez is valued at €18m by Transfermarkt, and has made 29 appearances across all competitions this season, scoring seven goals and providing six assists. He scored the winner for Porto in their Europa League victory over Maccabi Tel Aviv last week and is the son of Deportivo La Coruna legend Fran, who was a member of Guardiola’s backroom staff at City back in 2016.
If City are to complete a move for Gonzalez and get their replacement for Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, who remains FourFourTwo’s best defensive midfielder in the world, they will have until 11pm on Monday evening to get it over the line.
City will be keen to bolster their squad on deadline day, with Guardiola's men facing a tough upcoming fixture list as they look to respond to Sunday's defeat to Arsenal.
Next up is a trip to Leyton Orient in the FA Cup fourth round at the weekend, but that is followed up by the visit of Real Madrid in the first leg of their Champions League playoff, before Newcastle come to the Etihad. A trip to the Bernabeu is then followed by Premier League clashes against leaders Liverpool and then Tottenham in a challenging February.
