Manchester City has identified Valencia player Pepelu as a potential replacement for the injured Rodri, who has been sidelined for the rest of the season. Rodri, who lifted the Ballon d’Or in October, suffered a severe knee injury against Arsenal on September 22nd, tearing his anterior cruciate ligament and being ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Embed from Getty ImagesInjury woes have hit Pep’s side hard, as they have suffered six defeats in the past nine matches. Their terrible run of form has helped Liverpool extend their lead at the top of the table by 7 points.
The Citizens are in fourth place with 27 points, trailing behind second-place Chelsea and Third-place Arsenal, who both have 28 points. Manchester City will be looking to weather the storm that has hit them.
With the January transfer window approaching, speculation has been rife over who Manchester City might target to fill the gap left by the Spaniard.
Manchester City has Valencia’s midfielder Pepelu on their radar
Manchester City scouts have identified Valencia midfielder Pepelu as the perfect candidate to step in for Rodri while the Spaniard recovers from his ACL injury (report via Football Transfer).
The report states that the scouts performed comprehensive data analysis and reviewed video footage of several matches showcasing the 26-year-old.
It is understood that the recruitment team views Pepelu as a potentially “smart and cost-effective” January signing as they look to revive their season.
Pepulu is a strong midfielder with good passing ability and defensive skills. The Spanish international plays an important role under head coach Ruben Baraja, featuring in nearly every La Liga match for Los Ches last season, playing 3,215 minutes across 36 of the 38 games.
Embed from Getty ImagesThe 26-year-old has had a fabulous start to the current campaign, with four-goal contributions to his name in 11 games across all competitions this term.
Pepelu joined Valencia from Levante in July 2023 for a fee of around £4.2m, and his current contract, which runs until June 2028, is believed to include a release clause set at £82m.
It will be interesting to see how the Citizens lure the Spaniard to the Etihad Stadium, as they would have to pay a significant amount of money for the player.
Manchester City is also believed to be closely watching Paris Saint-Germain midfielder Warren Zaire-Emery and Real Sociedad’s Martin Zubimendi.