'The best thing': £51m star responds when asked about joining Man City and replacing Rodri

‘Irreplaceable’ was the word Pep Guardiola used when star midfielder Rodri suffered an injury which could keep him out for the remainder of Manchester City’s season.

While Ilkay Gundogan’s return offset his absence to some extent, and while Matteo Kovacic offered a reminder of his own talents with a brace as Manchester City narrowly defeated Fulham at the Etihad, there is still no one quite like Rodri.

The Ballon D’Or contender suffered a serious knee injury during the madcap 2-2 draw with title rivals Arsenal a few weeks back.

But, fortunately for Spain boss Luigi De La Fuenta, Rodri is not quite as ‘irreplaceable’ on the international stage as he is in the club game.

Not with Martin Zubimendi ready to step up, take over the mantle, and prove that the reigning European Champions have the second coming of Rodri waiting in the wings.

Martin Zubimendi still happy at Real Sociedad amid Manchester City links

Zubimendi has already passed just about the most testing audition imaginable.

When De La Fuente was forced to remove Rodri from the fray midway through the European Championship final between Spain and England in July, he called upon Zubimendi at the interval.

And the San Sebastian-born 25-year-old quickly set about proving that, while Man City’s number 16 may be the finest deep-lying midfielder in the game right now, Zubimendi is not too far behind.

There is a reason why Liverpool were so desperate to bring Zubimendi to Anfield over the summer.

And it will have come as a surprise to no one when Manchester City emerged as a rumoured destination themselves, with the January window offering Guardiola the chance to counter Rodri’s absence with a new addition.

Zubimendi, who has a £51 million release clause in his contract, is likely to start in his fellow midfielder’s absence as Spain face Denmark and Serbia in UEFA Nations League duty in the October international break.

And, when pressed on those Man City rumours, a man who rebuffed Liverpool’s advances was again keen to point out that he remains committed and content in the Basque country.

“My philosophy is to do what I feel [is right] at all times,” Zubimendi says during his pre-match press conference. “In every transfer window, teams come up.

“I think the best thing is to be at [my current] club. Now, I have a lot to give to Real Sociedad.”

“I don’t want to anticipate anything. The manager decides,” Zubimendi added when pressed specifically on stepping into Rodri’s shoes for La Roja. “There are two of us for that position.

“It’s a shame that [my chance may come] due to injury. And even more so when he’s a vital player for this team. An opportunity has opened up and we will have to take advantage of it.”

Arsenal and Tottenham Hotspur also like Spain star Zubimendi

TBR understands that Man City do indeed hold an interest in a player who won the Copa del Rey with his beloved Real Sociedad back in 2019. City have been linked with Torino’s Samuele Ricci and Inter Milan’s Nicolo Barella recently as well.

Tottenham Hotspur are admirers too, while Zubimendi also held talks with Arsenal before the transfer window closed in August.

The Gunners snapped up his former Real Sociedad team-mate Mikel Merino.

But, with a cool £32 million burning a hole in their back pocket, the La Liga outfit had little interest in letting the other half of their much-vaunted midfield partnership follow in Merino’s footsteps.

TBR have been told that Zubimendi’s first-choice, at this stage, is Real Madrid.