Manchester City manager Pep Guardiola is currently facing a tough time replacing Spanish midfielder Rodri who has been ruled out for the remainder of the season.
Rodri will play no part in City’s 2024/25 season after suffering an anterior cruciate ligament injury and Guardiola has stated he will find different solutions to replace the Spaniard.
Guardiola was unable to find a suitable solution on Saturday as City drew 1-1 at Newcastle despite the former Barcelona coach selecting the double-pivot of Mateo Kovacic and Rico Lewis to do so.
England international John Stones has now insisted that he is “100%” ready to replace Rodri as Manchester City’s holding midfielder, with the defender stating he loves playing in the role.
Stones has often been played in midfield – usually stepping up from defence when City have possession, as he notably did in the 2023 Champions League final victory against Inter.
Manchester City’s English defender John Stones celebrates (Photo by PAUL ELLIS/AFP via Getty Images)
Asked if he is ready to play similar position in Rodri’s absence, the 30-year-old said: “Yeah, if called upon, 100%.”
“[We have] a lot of quality and a lot of players that are more than capable of filling in in that position. I love it [the role] – it’s a different [way of looking] on the game, [I have] appreciation for players who have played there, understanding the game, learning from a defender’s point of view, when to receive and pass the ball, appreciation of the guys who play that role.
“I always enjoy it and try every time I go in there. The manager puts us there for a reason and it’s about going out there and doing a job. It happened a lot over the last two years – me going into midfield. In the Champions League final I was a bit higher up [the field] – that was new for me. One I enjoyed.”
City are at Slovan Bratislava in Tuesday’s second Champions League game and it’s left to see if Stones will be allowed to operate in Rodri’s position.
