Bayer Leverkusen midfielder on Manchester City’s transfer radar as possible Rodri replacement

Manchester City have placed a breakthrough Bayer Leverkusen sensation on their radar, with a view to signing him as a possible successor to Rodri, according to reports.

The Premier League champions are likely to revisit the transfer market in the coming transfer windows to line-up a more suitable back-up to their mainstay defensive midfielder, following the struggles seen by Kalvin Phillips.

The England international – signed from Leeds United for a reported £42 million in the summer transfer window of 2022 – has struggled to adapt to Pep Guardiola’s style and demands of a player in that role, and as such could leave the Etihad Stadium as soon as January.

While Manchester City may look for a player with more first-team or senior experience to come in as a suitable second choice to Rodri, a new name has emerged that last season’s Treble winners could return to in the coming years.

That is according to the information of Football Transfers, who claim that Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is currently monitoring Bayer Leverkusen’s 18-year-old midfield talent Noah Mbamba with a view towards making a move for the player in future.

It is stated that Guardiola first identified the player two years ago, when the Belgian youngster was at Club Brugge and playing against Manchester City in the UEFA Champions League Group Stage at the time.

While it is highlighted that the teenager is yet to break into the Bayern Leverkusen senior team on a regular basis, it is reiterated that he is a player that is on Manchester City’s transfer radar nonetheless.

The 2005-born starlet is known to be positionally flexible, which always aids their case to become a player for Pep Guardiola’s side, with the Belgium under-19 international being capable of operating both as a defensive midfielder and centre-back.

In Mbamba’s single Bundesliga appearance for Bayer Leverkusen so far this season, the wonderkid did manage to register a goal contribution, providing an assist in 10 minutes of action as part of a 5-1 victory against Darmstadt 98 back in early September.

City are certainly no strangers to developing youth talent in the defensive midfield role, with the likes of Shea Charles and Romeo Lavia both having graduated from the City Football Academy to make senior moves to Southampton and Chelsea respectively in recent months.