Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola has confirmed that midfielder Rodri is close to making his return to the pitch. The Spanish international, who was named the best footballer of 2024, has been sidelined since September after suffering a torn ACL.

"We can't play every three days over and over again; it's too many matches. We need fresh legs, we need rotation. Right now, we have almost a full squad, except for Oscar Bobb and Rodri. Both are close to returning, and this is the first time we've had a nearly complete squad. If it had been like this all season, things would have been different for us," Guardiola told Daily Mirror.

Rodri had previously expressed his desire to return by June, in time for the Club World Cup.