Man City 'line up' stunning transfer to finally fill Rodri void that could change title odds in their favour

Manchester City are reportedly preparing to make a huge transfer to replace Rodri and flip the title race on its head.

On Saturday afternoon, Premier League champions City hit another stumbling block in the defence of their title as they lost 2-1 to Brighton and Hove Albion at the Amex Stadium.

It marks fourth successive loss for Pep Guardiola's side, who have struggled this season after losing star midfielder Rodri during the clash with Arsenal in September.

But now, a new report has claimed that the Manchester club are preparing to launch a massive bid for one of the best midfielders in the world to replace the Spaniard and put the title race back in their own hands.

According to Spanish outlet Fichajes, are very interested in signing Real Madrid midfielder Federico Valverde to cover the absence of Rodri.

At Madrid, the Uruguayan has proven to be invaluable due to his flexibility which allows him to play both in midfielder and further up the pitch should he be needed there.

And it is exactly this that has attracted Guardiola, who reportedly believes that Valverde can help re-establish City as one of most dominant sides in Europe.

However, Madrid will likely put up a fight to keep the talented midfielder at the club, as Valverde has renewed his contract at the Bernabeu on several occasions, showing both his commitment to the club and their appreciation of his talents.

Federico Valverde has become a central part of Carlo Ancelotti's system at Real Madrid. (Image: Getty)

As it stands, Valverde's contract with Madrid is set to keep him at the club until the summer of 2029 and, with Transfermarkt, currently valuing the 26-year-old at €130.00million, any potential deal for City would likely be an extremely expensive one.

But this will almost certainly not put off City, who are in desperate need of a strong midfielder after Ballon d'Or winner Rodri suffered an ACL injury in the match against Arsenal on September 28.

The injury has ruled the 28-year-old out for the rest of the season and has had a huge implication on the 2024 Premier League title race.

As it stands, City sit second in the table but, after the loss to Brighton on Sunday, they are now five points behind League leaders Liverpool.