Manchester City are mapping plans for the day one of their most irreplaceable players moves on from the Etihad Stadium, as per a new report.While Pep Guardiola’s side continues to compete on every f...
Manchester City are mapping plans for the day one of their most irreplaceable players moves on from the Etihad Stadium, as per a new report.
While Pep Guardiola’s side continues to compete on every front, the club’s recruitment machine is operating several moves ahead, quietly mapping out a future that extends beyond Rodri’s dominance at the base of midfield. It is the kind of foresight that has come to define City’s era – cold, methodical and relentlessly unsentimental.
Manchester City’s recruitment operation has rarely stood still under Guardiola and the latest intelligence from within the club underlines just how far ahead their planning stretches. Even while competing on multiple fronts, City are already laying the groundwork for a future beyond Rodri – and one name continues to surface above all others.
Sources with knowledge of City’s scouting and analytics work confirm that Aleksandar Pavlovic has been identified internally as the closest stylistic and functional match to Rodri currently emerging in European football, as reported by TeamTalk.
Still only 21, Pavlovic has become a central figure for Bayern Munich under Vincent Kompany. A Munich-born academy graduate, he has transitioned seamlessly from youth football into the senior side, operating as the single pivot with a maturity that belies his age.
What excites City’s scouts and analysts most is not simply Pavlovic’s defensive awareness but the completeness of his game. His passing range – vertical, diagonal, and progressive – consistently breaks opposition lines, mirroring the qualities Guardiola demands from his controlling midfielders.
City’s internal data points to Pavlovic ranking among Europe’s elite young midfielders for tempo control, forward ball progression, and positional discipline. In short, he plays the role rather than just occupying the position.
At Manchester City, succession planning is treated as an ongoing process rather than a reactive one. Whether it has been forward planning around Erling Haaland, tactical continuity under and beyond Guardiola’s tenure, or now midfield control beyond Rodri, the club’s data-led approach leaves little to chance.
Rodri remains central to Guardiola’s structure but City are acutely aware of the risks of over-reliance. Injuries, workload management, and the natural evolution of squads mean contingency is essential. Nico Gonzalez has stepped in admirably during Rodri’s recent absence, offering security and tactical discipline.
Yet internally, City recognise that Gonzalez is a solution for the present rather than the definitive long-term heir. That distinction is crucial and it explains why Pavlovic has risen so sharply on their radar.
City are not alone in their admiration, as mentioned in the report. Chelsea have also conducted extensive work on Pavlovic, with their own analytics team flagging him as a potentially ‘special’ midfielder.
Chelsea’s interest is framed around depth and long-term quality rather than immediate need, with the club mindful of maintaining elite standards beyond Moises Caicedo and Enzo Fernandez. The shared conclusion from two of Europe’s most data-driven recruitment departments only reinforces Pavlovic’s standing.
Despite the external attention, there is little suggestion in the report that Pavlovic is actively seeking a move. Bayern, for their part, are fully aware of what they have. The club has extended his contract repeatedly since his breakthrough and is already exploring further terms to secure his future.
Any attempt to prise him away would require extraordinary figures. Bayern have never sanctioned a £100 million sale but sources cited in the report indicate that Pavlovic would demand precisely that level of investment if approached seriously in 2026. A club-record departure would not be viewed as excessive; it would be reflective of his ceiling.
For City, this is less about imminent transfer maneuvers and more about ensuring continuity at the heart of Guardiola’s system. Rodri’s influence has shaped an era, but City’s philosophy dictates that the next solution must already be understood, measured, and modelled long before the transition is required.
In Pavlovic, City see a midfielder capable of sustaining their identity: press-resistant, positionally intelligent, and able to dictate games through the ball. Whether a deal ever materialises is secondary at this stage but City’s vision for life after Rodri is already taking shape, explaining the Blues’ early interest in Pavlovic.
Category: General Sports
