'Similar qualities' - Manchester United could get £50m bargain to sign their own Rodri

When Premier League clubs look to sign defensive midfielders now there is a template they will use to populate their scouting databases: find me another Rodri.

The 28-year-old is the best in the world in his position, going to ever greater heights since moving to Manchester City for £62m in 2019. His 74-game unbeaten run at club level was ended by Manchester United at Wembley in May, but after winning the player of the tournament award at Euro 2024, he is in with every chance of winning the Ballon d'Or this year.

So with United on the lookout for a holding midfielder this summer, they would love to find someone who can closely match the outstanding Spaniard in their bid to take the fight to City. Who better than the man who replaced Rodri in the European Championship final, the Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi?

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There was no noticeable drop-off when the 25-year-old came on and UEFA's technical report into the final makes clear his influence. The cadre of coaches and former players tasked with analysing the tournament noticed that the quality of Spain's play didn't wane.

"The second period proved a different story, despite Spain’s half-time loss of Rodri, the player of the tournament, owing to injury," they write.

"A pivotal factor was the change from a 1+2 in midfield before the break, with Rodri deeper than Fabián Ruiz and Olmo, to a 2+1 with Ruiz dropping back alongside Rodri’s replacement, Martín Zubimendi. It was a measure of Spain’s excellent balance as a team that Zubimendi could slot in so