Manchester City
Guardiola Gives Update on Rodri and Kovačić After Hamstring and Achilles Setbacks
Guardiola says Rodri will miss the next two matches; Kovačić returns after Achilles surgery, cautiously eased back.
Pep Guardiola confirmed Rodri will miss Manchester City’s next two fixtures but suggested the midfielder’s absence should not be prolonged. The defensive midfielder pulled up clutching his hamstring in the first half of City’s trip to Brentford at the start of October and had hoped to return after the international break, yet he did not make the bench against Everton.
Guardiola gave a clearer timetable while warning of the risks associated with muscular injuries. “I don’t think so for Villarreal—or Aston Villa,” the Catalan coach mused. “It’s not long, but it’s muscular and you have to be careful.
“We’ve tried so many times, we’ve tried to not take a risk, but we have not been able to [manage] that. So we will see.”
In Rodri’s absence Nico González has often been used to occupy the deeper midfield role. The draft also notes Mateo Kovačić as a more natural fit: the Croatia international brings greater experience inside Guardiola’s system and, according to the reporting, possesses “a special quality” on the ball that suits the role.
Kovačić’s availability has been limited after a long injury layoff. For the first time since undergoing Achilles tendon surgery over the summer, the 31-year-old returned to the pitch against Everton, with Guardiola introducing him for four minutes as part of a cautious reintroduction to match action.
On Kovačić the manager was clear about the player’s importance: “Kovačić has a special quality with the ball to keep it,” City’s manager gushed. “We cannot forget he’s come from surgery, a three or four-month injury. We need his quality back. ]
City will manage both men carefully as they plan for upcoming fixtures while monitoring recovery from a hamstring problem and post-surgery fitness respectively.
Manchester City
Maresca Calms Rodri Talk as Real Madrid Links Remain Unconfirmed
Maresca has dismissed Rodri-to-Real Madrid talk as speculation while City weigh their options.
Enzo Maresca has played down the latest noise around Rodri’s future, insisting there have been no meetings at the Etihad Stadium dedicated to the midfielder and describing the Real Madrid talk as “just speculation.”
The Manchester City manager made the remarks before a preseason friendly against Inter, stressing that Rodri remains a major part of the club’s thinking even as his contract moves toward its final year. Maresca said the midfielder is being given time to recover, following surgery on Monday and a summer that has also included rest after the World Cup.
“I said in the first press conference that any manager in the world wants Rodri, so it’s important for me, for the club and for everyone, but now he needs to get some rest,” Maresca said in his prematch press conference ahead of City’s preseason friendly against Inter.
“He’s very important when we need to play every three days. The main focus for him when the season finished was the World Cup. Now he enjoys some rest after that, and we didn’t have any conversation just focused on Rodri [with sporting director Hugo Viana].
“It’s just speculation in this moment. Rodri had surgery on Monday, everything was fine. Now he will get some days off and then return back with us after his holiday ends.”
Rodri’s name has been linked with Real Madrid before. In 2024, he said: “When Real Madrid call you, the best club in history, the most successful, everything that means … Obviously, it’s an honor and you always have to pay attention, of course.”
Interest from the Spanish side later cooled as Rodri’s fitness problems mounted. He tore his ACL in Sept. 2024, then battled further setbacks in 2025-26, missing more than 100 days for City last season. Across the last two seasons, he managed only 41 appearances in total, with 24 of them coming in the Premier League.
That history made Real Madrid reluctant, especially after Rodri underwent surgery for a back problem this summer. Yet the situation has shifted again, with reports of an official approach and verbal discussions with City. If a fee of at least €50 million is offered, City may have to decide whether to keep their Ballon d’Or winner or sell before next summer’s expiry.
Arsenal
Premier League’s longest-serving managers and the rapid reset shaping 2026/27
A summer reset has left the Premier League with a long list of new managers and just one clear outlier.
The Premier League remains a ruthless place for managers, and the 2026/27 season begins with that reality clearer than ever. A summer of upheaval has left dugouts across the division occupied by a fresh wave of appointments, while one club is still waiting to name a new head coach.
At the top of the list, Mikel Arteta stands alone as the league’s longest-serving manager. Appointed by Arsenal on Dec. 22, 2019, he has outlasted every other current rival and remains comfortably ahead of the pack. Behind him comes Unai Emery, who has been in charge of Aston Villa since Nov. 1, 2022, followed by Daniel Farke, who took over Leeds United on July 4, 2023.
Further down the rankings, the turnover becomes even more obvious. Régis Le Bris and Fabian Hürzeler both arrived in July 2024, while Frank Lampard, David Moyes, Sergej Jakirović, Keith Andrews and Michael Carrick all joined their clubs during 2024 and 2025. The list then tightens further still, with a cluster of appointments made only months before the new campaign.
There are notable cases throughout. Roberto De Zerbi, hired by Tottenham Hotspur on March 31, 2026, sits just outside the top 10. Michael Carrick is inside it after first being named interim Manchester United boss in January and then permanently hired in May. At the other extreme, Álvaro Arbeloa is the latest arrival, taking charge of Fulham on July 7 after an unsuccessful spell as Real Madrid boss.
A number of other clubs have also changed course recently, including Chelsea, Liverpool, Manchester City, Nottingham Forest, Ipswich Town, Crystal Palace and Bournemouth. Over half the division has turned to new managers in 2026 if Newcastle United are included, with the club still yet to appoint Eddie Howe’s successor.
For now, Arteta remains the benchmark for staying power in a league that rarely gives managers much time.
Barcelona
Rodri Attracts Interest From Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain as Future Remains Open
Rodri is drawing interest from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain while Real Madrid remain in the frame.
Rodri’s future has become a major talking point after Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were both linked with the Manchester City midfielder in a new report.
The Spain international’s standing has only grown since the summer, when he said: “We’ll see after the World Cup.” He then backed that up with a Golden Ball-winning role as captain of Spain in North America, further strengthening his reputation as one of the game’s leading midfield controllers.
Manchester City are still keen to keep him and have an extension offer in place. Even so, Rodri is believed to be considering his options and may be waiting for a “dream” move to Real Madrid. The Spanish giants have been looking for a successor to Toni Kroos, but their interest in the Madrid-born midfielder has taken time to develop.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Real Madrid had finally decided to explore a move. Now, according to RMC Sport, they could be forced into a wider fight for his signature.
The same report states that Paris Saint-Germain “have made initial contact” over a possible transfer. A deal for the former Atlético Madrid midfielder was not previously regarded as a priority, but is now viewed as an “opportunity” in the market.
Barcelona have also “entered the race,” with the La Liga champions said to have contacted Rodri’s representatives after Frenkie de Jong returned from the World Cup with torn knee ligaments.
City, for their part, want to keep the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner for as long as possible. RMC even claims they would prefer to lose Rodri on a free transfer in a year’s time rather than sell him this summer.
No formal club-to-club offer has been made yet, but the midfielder’s position is clear: the decision now sits with him. If he tells City he wants to leave, the club are unlikely to block him given his age, contract situation and years of service.
