Transfer Centre

How Manchester City could line up with Rodri, Harry Maguire

By Darren Plant, Senior Reporter | 23 June 2019

Manchester City are being linked with Rodri and Harry Maguire, but how could the Premier League champions line up with the pair in their starting lineup?

Manchester City have just enjoyed the best season in their history courtesy of claiming the Premier League title, League Cup and FA Cup to complete the domestic treble.

Pep Guardiola's side were pushed all the way in the race for the top-flight crown by Liverpool, while Chelsea were unfortunate not to edge out the North-West giants in the League Cup final back in February.

Nevertheless, such success has put Guardiola and his players under pressure to maintain their grasp on each trophy, which has resulted in the club looking to make a major statement in the transfer market.

Rodri is expected to be brought in from Atletico Madrid as Guardiola looks to secure a long-term replacement for defensive midfielder Fernandinho, who is now 34.

City also require a new centre-back due to the departure of Vincent Kompany, with reports suggesting that they are looking to push through a deal for Leicester City's Harry Maguire.

Here, Sports Mole looks at how City could line up next season if they are able to add the Spain and England internationals to their ranks.

Rodri's release clause means that he will cost £62.5m and while the 22-year-old is likely to be rotated with Fernandinho, you have to expect that he will get the nod over the Brazilian at the beginning of the season.

Such is Guardiola's desire to play attacking football that it will be one or the other for the majority of City's matches although there will be times - potentially in away fixtures against the bigger clubs - where Rodri could be used in a slightly more advanced position with Fernandinho sitting in front of the back four.

Guardiola also has a tendency to use three at the back on occasions, leaving the possibility of both players being used in a defensive position in order to free up Kyle Walker to advance further down the right flank when City have the ball.

As for Maguire, he has become used to playing on the left-hand side of a back two with Leicester and back three with England, but the 26-year-old may have to adapt if he completes a switch to the Etihad Stadium.

Aymeric Laporte is left-footed and Guardiola will not remove him from a role which he excelled in this season, putting Maguire in a straight fight with John Stones and Nicolas Otamendi for the other spot in the backline.

If Guardiola uses a back three, Maguire may be the player to miss out with Stones more likely to be used in the centre with Walker and Laporte being deployed either side.