Rodri set to be on the sidelines after back surgery

Manchester City midfielder Rodri will be sidelined for a "short period of rehabilitation" following back surgery

New manager Enzo Maresca said on Friday that Rodri would have an operation on Monday, and that he "needs a holiday, he needs to rest and recover and then he will be back with us". No timeline has been set for his return.

City face Arsenal in the Community Shield on 16 August before their Premier League opener against Bournemouth on 23 August. City said Rodri had been "feeling discomfort for some time but has now undergone a procedure to address the issue".

Rodri, who has a year left on his contract, has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid after guiding Spain to World Cup glory this month. He was named player of the tournament. His past two seasons have been heavily disrupted by injury, and he missed most of City's 2024-25 campaign with a torn anterior cruciate ligament.

Meanwhile, as reported by BBC Sport in June, defender Josko Gvardiol has signed a new five-year deal which will keep him at the club until the summer of 2031. The 24-year-old Croatia international has made 122 appearances for City since joining from RB Leipzig in August 2023, winning six trophies, including the Premier League in his debut campaign.