Two of Atletico’s La Liga stars, Rodri and Saul Niguez, are reportedly targets for Pep Guardiola’s Premier League champions Manchester City.
Manchester City are interested in signing the Atletico Madrid midfielder Rodri and have intensified their scouting of the Spanish international with the summer transfer window looming large, as reported by ESPN.
Rodrigo Hernandez Cascante only joined Diego Simeone’s side from Villarreal 11 months ago for a fee of £18 million as a replacement for departing skipper Gabi but he immediately established himself as one of Europe’s best young midfielders at the Wanda Metropolitano.
The 22-year-old, who has earned five caps for Spain since last March, has now caught the eye of Pep Guardiola at The Etihad with Manchester City openly looking for a replacement for the ageing Fernandinho.
ESPN claims that City see Rodri as an alternative to another Atletico and Spain enforcer, the older and more established Saul Niguez. The 2014 La Liga champions would demand around £130 million for Saul, however, while Rodri is seen more as a deep-lying playmaker in the Fernandinho mould.
In fact, he has even been likened to Barcelona great Sergio Busquets for his ability to read the game and control the tempo from deep. Saul, meanwhile, is an adventurous, more attack-minded midfielder.
Atletico obviously want to keep Rodri but they would be powerless to prevent City from getting their man if they trigger the £59.8 million release clause in his contract.
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