What happened: Rodri is set to undergo surgery once Spain's 2026 World Cup run ends and will miss the opening stretch of the 2026-27 campaign, according to a Daily Mail report from Jack Gaughan. The specific injury has not been disclosed. The recovery is not expected to be lengthy, but it will delay the midfielder's return.
Why it matters: The timing lands hard on new manager Enzo Maresca, who inherits a squad missing its Ballon d'Or-winning anchor to open his tenure. Rodri's setback follows two injury-disrupted seasons and arrives with just 12 months left on his contract, sharpening questions about both squad depth and his long-term future at the club.
By the numbers: Rodri's troubles trace to an ACL injury during the 2024-25 season; he missed much of the first half of 2025-26 before returning, then was sidelined again late in the campaign. City are closing in on the signing of Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest, with Newcastle United's Sandro Tonali and Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi cited as further midfield targets.
What to watch: Watch for confirmation of the Anderson deal and whether City pursue a second midfielder to A clearer timeline on Rodri's return should follow once the surgery is scheduled after Spain's World Cup exit.