Manchester City make offer to sign Atlético Madrid midfielder Rodri

If you stop moving forward, you start moving backwards

Manchester City may have won the Premier League this season with 98 points, becoming the first team in a decade to retain the title, but they cannot afford to rest on their laurels. In the modern game, if you don't continually improve, you will get left behind. With Liverpool breathing down their neck, they cannot afford to let that happen, and will therefore be dipping into the transfer market to refresh their already brilliant squad. First on their list is Atlético Madrid midfielder Rodri, who has shone for the LaLiga runners up in a holding role this season, earning himself his first international call-up in the process. City have reportedly made a formal offer for the player and are willing to meet his £61million release clause. If they do trigger it, Atléti would be powerless to prevent the move in a summer when three senior figures - Antoine Griezmann, Diego Godin and Juanfran - have already confirmed their departures. Rodri has long been compared to Sergio Busquets, a vital component of Pep Guardiola's Barcelona side and a constant in the ever-changing Spanish national team over the past ten years. https://youtu.be/juYswp18Nxo Guardiola wants Rodri to replace Fernandinho, who has been a great servant at City since his arrival in 2013 but at the age of 34, has little time remaining before his powers wane. Rodri, 22, has been named in Spain's squad ahead of their upcoming Euro 2020 qualifiers alongside former Arsenal midfielder Santi Cazorla, who makes his return to international football having lasted represented La Roja in 2015.