Manchester City players told no one is more important than £220-a-player

(L-R) Ederson, Nathan Ake, Kevin De Bruyne, Rodri and Sergio Gomez of Manchester City celebrate following the team’s victory in the Emirates FA Cup…

Photo by Michael Regan – The FA/The FA via Getty Images

Manchester City have been told that one of their stars is the most complete player around these days.

The club have many wonderful players on the books at the moment, and fans are lucky to get to watch some of the best players in the game.

Txiki Begiristain and his team have done fantastic work over the years to provide Pep Guardiola will an amazing squad, which has been hugely successful in the last few years especially.

In 2019, Manchester City made one very important signing.

He didn’t hit it off straight away, but now there is no denying how crucial a player he is.

That player, is Rodri – and on Saturday, he came in for very high praise from Enrique Vedia.

Enrique Vedia can’t see a more complete player than Man City star Rodri

Rodri of Spain runs with the ball during the international friendly match between Spain and Northern Ireland at Estadi de Son Moix on June 08, 2024…

Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images

Rodri has now clocked up 257 appearances for the club since completing his £63 million move from Athletic Bilbao.

The 27-year-old took a season to get used to the Premier League, and initially looked a bit clunky.

Nowadays, Rodri is likely the name on the teamsheet for Pep Guardiola, who firmly believes that he is the best midfielder in the world at the moment.

We saw last term how important Rodri is to City.

With him in the team, City did not lose a single Premier League game. When he was out of the team, City drew four and lost one. They also went out of the Carabao Cup when he was suspended.

Rodri came into focus on ITV yesterday ahead of Spain’s game against Croatia at Euro 2024. In a feature, Enrique Vedia – who is the honorary president of CF Rayo Majadahonda, the club Rodri started out at – raved about the City lynchpin.

He said: “He’s the best midfielder in the world. Mentally he was different. As we say here in Spain, he had his head screwed on the right way.

“I don’t know any player who is as complete as he is.

Rodri may well be the most complete player

It is very possible that there isn’t a more complete player in football today than City’s number 16 Rodri.

The Spain international has been the top defensive midfielder for quite a while now, and we all know how the £220,000-a-week star completely controls games and is a fearsome physical presence.

But as Roy Keane suggests, it is somewhat disrespectful to view Rodri as just that. Because he offers plenty going forward now too. This was evident by the nine goals and 14 assists he got in 2023/24.

It is difficult to offer any other players who are more complete than Rodri. Certainly midfielders.

Jude Bellingham may well have a case. But it can be argued that he isn’t as strong defensively as Rodri.

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