{"id":1097421,"date":"2019-07-09T12:27:29","date_gmt":"2019-07-09T11:27:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1097421"},"modified":"2019-07-09T12:27:29","modified_gmt":"2019-07-09T11:27:29","slug":"man-city-rodri-natural-busquets-replacement-spain","status":"publish","type":"news","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/news\/man-city-rodri-natural-busquets-replacement-spain\/","title":{"rendered":"Man City newcomer Rodri labelled the ‘natural Busquets replacement’ for Spain by ex-Barca star"},"content":{"rendered":"

Manchester City summer recruit Rodri has been earmarked to ‘replace’ Barcelona’s Sergio Busquets for Spain by former Barcelona defender Albert Ferrer.\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n

Rodri recently completed a \u00a362.6m switch from Atletico Madrid to the Citizens, becoming the club’s second summer signing in the process.<\/p>\n

Could Rodri ‘replace’ Busquets? Five things to know…<\/strong><\/h2>\n
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  • Rodri rose to prominence after excelling in Atleti’s midfield last season.<\/li>\n
  • No player won more tackles than Rodri in La Liga throughout 2018\/19 (70).<\/li>\n
  • He has joined Man City as a long-term successor to the ageing Fernandinho.<\/li>\n
  • Given Busquets is 30, Spain need an heir and Rodri has already won six caps.<\/li>\n
  • Ferrer has now branded Rodri the ‘natural Busquets replacement’ for La Roja.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    https:\/\/audioboom.com\/posts\/7304751-lampard-s-chelsea-midfield-set-up-will-be-inspired-by-his-ancelotti-days<\/p>\n

    The 23-year-old has joined Pep Guardiola’s side with the belief he will\u00a0supersede veteran anchorman,\u00a0Fernandinho, with the Brazilian having recently turned 34.<\/p>\n

    A deep-lying enforcer is not only integral to the Catalan’s style of play, but also for the Spanish national side, and Ferrer – who played at the Camp Nou for eight years between 1990 and 1998 – believes the Premier League champions have acquired the services of the ‘new Busquets’.<\/p>\n

    In his column for The Times<\/a>, he wrote: “I am not surprised that Pep chose Rodri because he is a young player who has done a lot but he can improve many, many things.<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    “With some key instructions he will be a fantastic player and working with Pep will help him a lot also.<\/p>\n

    “So there are two things: with the ball he has to be more like a leader and, in terms of defence, he has to be thinking more about being proactive.<\/p>\n

    “He has to work on this but I\u2019m sure he can do it. He has the quality to do it. Rodri has long legs and can cover a big range of the pitch, up and down and also right to left.<\/p>\n

    “The times he has played with the Spanish national team, he has played as the holding midfielder on his own. He is a natural replacement for Sergio Busquets for Spain.”<\/p>\n