Manchester City are reportedly considering a move for a highly-rated midfielder who has been likened to German icon Michael Ballack.
The Citizens, who are reeling after a six-game winless run in all competitions, have been tipped to delve into the January transfer market amidst their well-documented injury crisis.
Pep Guardiola has been working with a depleted squad for several weeks and the most notable absentee has arguably been star midfielder and Ballon d'Or winner Rodri, who is ruled out for the rest of the season with an ACL injury that he sustained in September - although he recently offered a positive update on his recovery.
Fellow midfielder Mateo Kovacic is facing a race against time to recover from an unspecified injury before Christmas, and Oscar Bobb (leg fracture) is targeting a return in the New Year, while a host of other senior stars have been nursing some form of injury or illness issue this term.
It is thought that Man City will prioritise the addition of a new midfielder in the absence of Rodri, and several names including Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, Crystal Palace's Adam Wharton and AC Milan's Tijjani Reijnders have been linked with a switch to the Etihad Stadium.
© Imago
Rocco to rock up at Man City?
A new name has since emerged as a potential target for Man City, as GiveMeSport reports that the Citizens are among a host of Premier League clubs looking at the possibility of signing Borussia Monchengladbach's Rocco Reitz.
The report adds that it will be difficult for any interested suitors to reach an agreement with Monchengladbach in January, as the Bundesliga side do not want to sanction his departure midway through the season, while the player himself would need to be persuaded to leave his boyhood club.
Man City are said to be aware that they will have no trouble meeting the 22-year-old's salary demands, with the midfielder currently earning around £12,000 per week on a contract that runs until June 2028.
GiveMeSport sources claim that it is too soon to be certain that Man City will actively pursue Reitz and submit an offer in January, but testing Monchengladbach's resolve in the near future has not been entirely ruled out.
© Imago
Who is Monchengladbach star Rocco Reitz?
Born in Duisburg, Reitz came through Monchengladbach's academy and made his professional debut for the club in October 2020 at the age of 18.
The central midfielder experienced two loan spells in Belgium with Sint-Truiden, representing their senior side on 36 occasions, before being reintegrated into Monchengladbach's first team last season.
Reitz quickly became a first-team regular under Gerardo Seoane and chipped in with six goals and three assists in 34 Bundesliga appearances during the 2023-24 season, as Monchengladbach narrowly avoided relegation and finished 14th in the 18-team table.
This term, the 10-cap Germany Under-21 international has played in each of Monchengladbach's first 11 Bundesliga games and has helped the club rise to sixth in the table, just three points behind the Champions League positions.
Oliver Thomas
