“I can’t deny how happy I’d be,” Pep Guardiola admits that he wants ‘brutal’ Rodri to win the Ballon d’Or

Pep Guardiola wants his trusted midfielder Rodri to win the 2024 Ballon d'Or.

“I can’t deny how happy I’d be,” Pep Guardiola admits that he wants ‘brutal’ Rodri to win the Ballon d’Or

Pep Guardiola would love to see Rodri win the Ballon d'Or (Via GOAL & BBC)

It appears that Manchester City midfielder Rodri‘s chances of winning the 2024 Ballon d’Or have gotten quite the push. The Premier League champion was recently crowned as the Player of the Tournament at UEFA Euro 2024 as La Roja beat England 2-1 in the final. Despite not being on the pitch in the second half of the final, his elemental contribution to Spain in their run-up to the showdown ‘earned’ him the award.

Days after Luis de la Fuente went on the record to back Rodri’s Ballon d’Or charge, his club manager Pep Guardiola also followed suit. Recently, the six-time Premier League champion asserted that his trusted midfielder was deserving of the Ballon d’Or.

YouTube video
I can’t deny how happy I'd be so if Rodri ends up winning the Ballon d'Or. His consistency is brutal. Winning the award, or being nominated or simply being in the race is fantastic!
Pep Guardiola said in a press conference

Besides Rodri, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Jr. are also strong shouts for the award. If Rodri ends up winning the award, it will be the first time since 2018 that a midfielder claims the prized accolade.

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Man City set to bring in star Pep Guardiola rejected back in 2023

Manchester City have a goalkeeper ‘problem’. After several seasons of trusting Ederson Moraes between the sticks, Pep Guardiola has taken a liking to German keeper Stefan Ortega. As per several reports, Saudi Pro League side Al-Ittihad are looking to sign the Brazilian, who himself is interested in a move away from the Premier League champions.

Gianluigi Donnarumma
Gianluigi Donnarumma has two more years left on his PSG contract (Via Marca.com)

As the vacancy for a new keeper opens up, City have set their sights on Gianluigi Donnarumma as a potential replacement. The Paris Saint-Germain keeper was offered by the Parisiens in a swap deal for Bernardo Silva alongside Marco Verratti. This occurred at a time when Silva’s future with the club was uncertain, with strong links to FC Barcelona.

Eventually, both Silva and Donnarumma ended up staying at their respective clubs while Verratti joined Al-Arabi in the Qatar Stars League. Donnarumma, 25, earns close to €13 million per year. His current contract with the Parisiens runs until June 2026. Despite being the first choice keeper for Luis Enrique, it wouldn’t be surprising if Donnarumma ends up with the Premier League champions next season.

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