Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand said that Manchester City could have snatched the Premier League title from Arsenal if Rodri had been available for the entire season.
Rio Ferdinand believes that Manchester City would have won the Premier League title last season if Rodri had been available for the entire season.
Arsenal won their first Premier League title since 2004 last May, finishing seven points ahead of Manchester City, while Guardiola was also in his final season at Manchester City.
Ballon d'Or winner Rodri missed 17 Premier League games last season due to injury, and Ferdinand believes his return will change the course of the title race.
Now, Rodri appears to be nearing the end of his long and successful career at the Etihad Stadium, with Barcelona close to finalizing a blockbuster deal for the World Cup winner.
Ferdinand said that Rodri's impending departure will pose a "huge challenge" to Manchester City, who are already facing the departure of Guardiola.
Former Chelsea manager Enzo Maresca has been tasked with succeeding Pep Guardiola, who led the team to six Premier League titles, a Champions League title, and eight domestic cup trophies.
In his podcast, Manchester United legend Rio Ferdinand said, "Let's talk about Manchester City first."
"Not only has Guardiola left, but now it looks like they're going to lose Rodri as well. These two have been among the most important figures in the club for the past seven or eight years. So, after a major managerial change, they're losing one of the team's most important and crucial players. If Rodri had started and played every game last season without injury, Manchester City would have won the Premier League title. No offense to Arsenal, but if Rodri had played 10 more games, Manchester City would have won the title."
Ferdinand stated, "This is no coincidence. This guy became the most important player after joining the Spanish national team, winning the Best Player award and leading them to the World Cup victory. He also won the Ballon d'Or; he's won everything. If Barcelona signs him, they'll be in big trouble this year because Rodri is now the most important player for any team in the world, and he has been for the past few years. He's a top player with top-notch professionalism."
“I think Manchester City will face a huge challenge in terms of competitiveness this year, and it won’t be easy to continue the performance of the past eight or nine years. They have lost two important components of the club, not only on the pitch but also off the pitch. They have both made huge contributions, so we’ll have to wait and see.”
