Man City record signing Rodri says he can be a leader at City

ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴇxᴩᴇɴꜱɪᴠᴇ ᴩʟᴀyᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴍᴀɴᴄʜᴇꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴄɪᴛy'ꜱ ʜɪꜱᴛᴏʀy ꜱᴛʀɪᴅᴇꜱ ɪɴꜱɪᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ᴩᴜᴅᴏɴɢ ꜱʜᴀɴɢʀɪ-ʟᴀ ʜᴏᴛᴇʟ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ ᴀ ꜱᴇᴀᴛ.

ʟᴇᴀɴᴛ ʙᴀᴄᴋ, ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴩᴏꜱɪɴɢ ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ꜱɪᴢᴇꜱ ᴜᴩ ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴏᴏᴍ, ᴀꜱꜱᴇꜱꜱɪɴɢ ʜɪꜱ ꜱᴜʀʀᴏᴜɴᴅɪɴɢꜱ. ᴊᴜꜱᴛ ʟɪᴋᴇ ʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴀɴᴄʜᴏʀɪɴɢ ᴀ ᴍɪᴅꜰɪᴇʟᴅ.

ɪᴛ ꜰᴇᴇʟꜱ ᴀꜱ ɪꜰ ɴᴏʙᴏᴅy ᴛᴏʟᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴩʀɪᴄᴇ ᴛᴀɢ. ᴄɪᴛy ᴩᴀɪᴅ ᴀᴛʟᴇᴛɪᴄᴏ ᴍᴀᴅʀɪᴅ £62.8ᴍɪʟʟɪᴏɴ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ ʙᴜᴛ ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ꜱᴇᴇᴍꜱ ᴜɴꜰʟᴀᴩᴩᴀʙʟᴇ, ᴀʟʀᴇᴀᴅy ᴛᴀʟᴋɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ʜᴏᴡ ʜᴇ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ ʙᴇ ᴀ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ. ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ ɪꜱ ᴇᴠᴇɴ ᴀ ᴄʜᴇᴇᴋy ɢᴇɴᴛʟᴇ ᴅɪɢ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴩᴇᴩ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅɪᴏʟᴀ'ꜱ ʀɪʙꜱ.

ᴍᴀɴᴄʜᴇꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴄɪᴛy'ꜱ ᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴇxᴩᴇɴꜱɪᴠᴇ ꜱɪɢɴɪɴɢ ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ʙᴇʟɪᴇᴠᴇꜱ ʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴀ ʟᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ ꜰᴏʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʟᴜʙ

'ɪ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ɢᴇᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ꜰᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴄɪᴛy. ɪ'ᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀɴᴄʜᴇꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴀʟᴏɴᴇ – ɴᴏᴛ ᴡɪᴛʜ ꜰᴀᴍɪʟy - ꜱᴏ ɪ (ᴡɪʟʟ) ʟɪᴋᴇ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴩᴇᴏᴩʟᴇ,' ʜᴇ ꜱᴀyꜱ. 'ɪ'ᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴛᴏ ᴩᴇᴩ'ꜱ ʀᴇꜱᴛᴀᴜʀᴀɴᴛ, ᴛᴀꜱᴛ. ɪᴛ'ꜱ ɢᴏᴏᴅ… ʙᴜᴛ yᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛᴀᴋᴇ ᴀ ʙɪɢ ᴡᴀʟʟᴇᴛ!'

ᴛʜᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜰɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ. ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ɪꜱ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ᴏɴʟy 23 ʙᴜᴛ ᴄɪᴛy ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴏᴜɢʜᴛ ᴀɴ ᴇᴍɪɴᴇɴᴛʟy ʟɪᴋᴇᴀʙʟᴇ ᴄʜᴀʀᴀᴄᴛᴇʀ, ᴏɴᴇ ᴡʜᴏ ʀᴇᴄᴏɢɴɪꜱᴇꜱ ʜᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ʟᴇᴀʀɴɪɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ᴏᴡɴꜱ ꜱᴇʀɪᴏᴜꜱ ʙᴇʟɪᴇꜰ ɪɴ ʜɪᴍꜱᴇʟꜰ. 

ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴩᴀʀᴛɪᴄᴜʟᴀʀ ᴅʀᴇꜱꜱɪɴɢ ʀᴏᴏᴍ ɪꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴏɴᴇ ꜰᴏʀ ꜱʜʀɪɴᴋɪɴɢ ᴠɪᴏʟᴇᴛꜱ ʙᴜᴛ ᴅᴏᴇꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ᴀᴄᴄᴇᴩᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀʀʀᴏɢᴀɴᴛ ᴇɪᴛʜᴇʀ. ᴀ ꜰɪɴᴇ ʟɪɴᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴛʀᴇᴀᴅ.

'ᴡʜᴇɴ yᴏᴜ ᴩʟᴀy ɪɴ ᴍy ᴩᴏꜱɪᴛɪᴏɴ, ɪᴛ ᴅᴏᴇꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴍᴀᴛᴛᴇʀ ʜᴏᴡ ᴏʟᴅ yᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ᴏʀ ʜᴏᴡ ɢᴏᴏᴅ yᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ - yᴏᴜ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ yᴏᴜ ᴀʀᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪᴅᴅʟᴇ,' ʜᴇ ꜱᴀyꜱ. 'Yᴏᴜ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ yᴏᴜʀ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ-ᴍᴀᴛᴇꜱ ᴀʀᴇ. ɪ'ᴍ yᴏᴜɴɢ ʙᴜᴛ ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛʜɪꜱ ʀᴏʟᴇ ɪɴ ᴛʜɪꜱ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ. 

ᴍᴀɴ ᴄɪᴛy ᴩᴀɪᴅ ᴀᴛʟᴇᴛɪᴄᴏ ᴍᴀᴅʀɪᴅ £62.8ᴍɪʟʟɪᴏɴ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ ʙᴜᴛ ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ꜱᴇᴇᴍꜱ ᴜɴꜰʟᴀᴩᴩᴀʙʟᴇ

'ɪ ᴋɴᴏᴡ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ᴩʟᴀyᴇʀꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴅᴀᴠɪᴅ ꜱɪʟᴠᴀ ʙᴜᴛ ɪɴ ᴍy ʀᴏʟᴇ ɪ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ᴛᴏ ʟᴇᴀᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇꜱᴇ ꜱɪᴛᴜᴀᴛɪᴏɴꜱ.'

ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴇᴡ ʙᴏy ᴄᴇʀᴛᴀɪɴʟy ʜᴀꜱ ᴄʜᴀʀɪꜱᴍᴀ ᴀɴᴅ ʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛᴏʀy ɪꜱ ᴀ ʟɪᴛᴛʟᴇ ᴅɪꜰꜰᴇʀᴇɴᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ꜱᴩᴀɴɪᴀʀᴅ ꜱᴩᴇᴀᴋꜱ ᴀʟᴍᴏꜱᴛ ꜰʟᴀᴡʟᴇꜱꜱ ᴇɴɢʟɪꜱʜ ᴀꜰᴛᴇʀ ᴛʀᴀᴠᴇʟʟɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜʀᴇᴇ ᴄᴏɴꜱᴇᴄᴜᴛɪᴠᴇ ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ ᴄᴀᴍᴩꜱ ɪɴ ᴀᴍᴇʀɪᴄᴀ ᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴛᴇᴇɴᴀɢᴇʀ. 

ᴛʜᴇ ʀᴇᴀꜱᴏɴ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀɴɢᴜᴀɢᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ʜᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ɪᴍᴩʀᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ-ᴍᴀᴛᴇꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʜɪꜱ ɢʀᴀꜱᴩ ᴏꜰ ɪᴛ.

ɪɴ ꜱᴩᴀɪɴ ʜᴇ ɪꜱ ꜱᴇᴇɴ ᴀꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇɪʀ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴇʀɢɪᴏ ʙᴜꜱqᴜᴇᴛꜱ. ʜᴇ ꜱᴜꜰꜰᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴏꜰ ʟᴇᴀᴠɪɴɢ ʙᴏyʜᴏᴏᴅ ᴀᴛʟᴇᴛɪᴄᴏ'ꜱ ᴀᴄᴀᴅᴇᴍy, ʙᴇꜰᴏʀᴇ ᴀ ɢʀᴏᴡᴛʜ ꜱᴩᴜʀᴛ ᴀᴛ ᴠɪʟʟᴀʀʀᴇᴀʟ ᴛʜᴇɴ ꜱᴀᴡ ʜɪᴍ ᴄᴏᴍᴩʟᴇᴛᴇ ᴀ 'ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ' ꜱᴡɪᴛᴄʜ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ʜᴏᴍᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ ꜱᴜᴍᴍᴇʀ.

ᴀᴛʟᴇᴛɪᴄᴏ ᴛʜᴇɴ ᴛᴏʟᴅ ʜɪᴍ ʜᴇ ᴍᴜꜱᴛ ᴅɪᴛᴄʜ ʜɪꜱ ʙᴜᴅɢᴇᴛ ᴏᴩᴇʟ ᴄᴏʀꜱᴀ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ɴᴏᴛ ꜱᴀꜰᴇ ᴛᴏ ᴅʀɪᴠᴇ. ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇy ᴏꜰꜰᴇʀᴇᴅ ʜɪᴍ ᴀ ʜyᴜɴᴅᴀɪ, ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ᴀꜱᴋᴇᴅ ɪᴛ ʙᴇ ᴀ ᴩʟᴀɪɴ ᴠᴇʀꜱɪᴏɴ.

ᴡʜɪʟᴇ ꜱᴛᴜᴅyɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴀ ʙᴜꜱɪɴᴇꜱꜱ ᴅᴇɢʀᴇᴇ ᴀᴛ ᴜɴɪᴠᴇʀꜱɪᴅᴀᴅ ᴅᴇ ᴄᴀꜱᴛᴇʟʟóɴ, ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ʟɪᴠᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʜᴀʟʟꜱ ᴏꜰ ʀᴇꜱɪᴅᴇɴᴄᴇ ᴅᴇꜱᴩɪᴛᴇ ᴛᴜʀɴɪɴɢ ᴏᴜᴛ ɪɴ ʟᴀ ʟɪɢᴀ ᴀᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴇᴇᴋᴇɴᴅꜱ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴀꜱᴛᴏɴɪꜱʜᴍᴇɴᴛ ᴏꜰ ʜɪꜱ ᴩᴇᴇʀꜱ. ɪᴛ ᴛᴀᴋᴇꜱ 13 ᴡᴏʀᴅꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪꜱ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴠɪᴇᴡ ꜰᴏʀ ʜɪᴍ ᴛᴏ ꜱᴀy ᴛʜᴇ ᴩʜʀᴀꜱᴇ 'ɴᴏʀᴍᴀʟ ʟɪꜰᴇ'. 

ᴩᴇᴩ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅɪᴏʟᴀ ɢɪᴠᴇꜱ ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ɪɴꜱᴛʀᴜᴄᴛɪᴏɴꜱ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴀɴ ɪɴᴊᴜʀy ʙʀᴇᴀᴋ ᴅᴜʀɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇꜰᴇᴀᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴏʟᴠᴇꜱ

ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇꜱ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴀꜱɪɴɢʟy ᴇxᴩʀᴇꜱꜱɪᴠᴇ ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀᴍᴇꜱ ᴅɪᴇɢᴏ ꜱɪᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅɪᴏʟᴀ ꜱᴜʀꜰᴀᴄᴇ.

'ɪ ᴅᴏɴ'ᴛ ꜱɪɢɴ ʜᴇʀᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ᴩᴇᴩ ɪꜱ ʜᴇʀᴇ ᴏʀ ᴀ ᴄᴏᴀᴄʜ ɪꜱ ʜᴇʀᴇ,' ʜᴇ ꜱᴀyꜱ. 'ɪ'ᴠᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ʜᴇʀᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴀᴜꜱᴇ ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍy ᴄᴀʀᴇᴇʀ ɪᴛ ɪꜱ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇꜱᴛ ᴛᴇᴀᴍ ᴀɴᴅ ᴡʜᴇʀᴇ ɪ ᴛʜɪɴᴋ ɪ'ᴍ ɢᴏɪɴɢ ᴛᴏ ᴡɪɴ. ᴩᴇᴩ ʙᴇɪɴɢ ʜᴇʀᴇ ʜᴇʟᴩꜱ ʙᴜᴛ ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱɴ'ᴛ ᴀ ʙɪɢ ᴩᴀʀᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅᴇᴄɪꜱɪᴏɴ.

'ᴛʜɪꜱ ʟᴀꜱᴛ yᴇᴀʀ ʜᴀꜱ ʙᴇᴇɴ ᴀᴍᴀᴢɪɴɢ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ. ᴀᴛʟᴇᴛɪᴄᴏ ɪꜱ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀꜰᴜʟ, ɪᴛ ᴡᴀꜱ ᴀ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴍ ꜰᴏʀ ᴍᴇ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏ ʙᴀᴄᴋ ᴛᴏ ᴍy ʜᴏᴍᴇ. ꜱɪᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴛᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ᴍᴇ ᴀ ʟᴏᴛ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜɪɴɢꜱ.

'ɪᴍᴀɢɪɴᴇ ᴍᴇ ᴀꜱ ᴀ 23-yᴇᴀʀ-ᴏʟᴅ, ɪ ɴᴏᴡ ꜱᴩᴇɴᴅ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴏꜰ ᴍy ꜰɪʀꜱᴛ ꜱᴇᴀꜱᴏɴꜱ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛᴇꜱᴛ ᴄᴏᴀᴄʜᴇꜱ ᴏꜰ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴀꜱᴛ 20 ᴏʀ 30 yᴇᴀʀꜱ! ᴛʜᴇy ᴡᴇʀᴇ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴍɪᴅꜰɪᴇʟᴅᴇʀꜱ ʟɪᴋᴇ ᴍᴇ, ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴏ 4 ɪɴ ꜱᴩᴀɴɪꜱʜ ꜰᴏᴏᴛʙᴀʟʟ.'

ᴛᴀᴋɪɴɢ ꜰᴀᴄᴇᴛꜱ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴄᴀɴ ᴏɴʟy ᴍᴀᴋᴇ ʀᴏᴅʀɪ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴩʟᴇᴛᴇ. ʜɪꜱ ꜱᴛyʟᴇ ɪꜱ ᴍᴏʀᴇ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅɪᴏʟᴀ – ᴀ ᴩɪɴᴄʜᴇʀ ᴏꜰ ᴩᴏꜱꜱᴇꜱꜱɪᴏɴ, ᴀɴ ɪɴᴛᴇʀᴄᴇᴩᴛɪᴏɴ ᴋɪɴɢ – ᴛʜᴀɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴜʟʟᴅᴏɢɢɪɴɢ, ᴏʟᴅ-ꜰᴀꜱʜɪᴏɴᴇᴅ ʙʀɪᴛɪꜱʜ ᴡᴀy ᴛʜᴀᴛ ꜱɪᴍᴇᴏɴᴇ ᴩᴏꜱꜱᴇꜱꜱᴇᴅ. ʜᴇ ʜᴀꜱ ʙᴇᴇɴ ɴɪᴄᴋɴᴀᴍᴇᴅ 'ᴀᴩᴀɢᴀꜰᴜᴇɢᴏꜱ' - ᴛʜᴇ ꜰɪʀᴇ ᴇxᴛɪɴɢᴜɪꜱʜᴇʀ.

The 23-year-old's style is more Guardiola – a pincher of possession, an interception king

'I'm not used to tackles,' he adds. 'I have another way to steal the ball. I see other players always go down and tackle but I'm very big. If I go to ground I waste a lot of time before I can go again!

'Football is getting more equal, you have to run a lot in my position. I waste all my energy in matches. I thought I ran a lot at Villarreal but when I arrived at Atletico, I thought 'oh no'. I ran a lot, and then here I've run a lot in the matches.'

That is surprising to hear. Rodri has appeared unflustered in both friendly matches so far, leaving the field with his shirt still pristine.

He knows that things will alter for him at City, a slightly different role. There is a greater emphasis on front-foot football; Rodri will have to become more proactive than under Simeone. 

He is used to having another midfielder next to him but that comfort blanket will not be available. This transition may take a little bit of adjustment.

Rodri speaks almost flawless English after spending three summers in America as a teen

Fortunately time is on his side, as Fernandinho remains such an integral member of the Treble-winning team. Rodri's height – he stands at 6ft 3in – will serve as a bonus for Guardiola, who has admitted to 'praying' whenever City concede a corner.

'I like to look at players like me and I always consider Fernandinho has been in the top five or six midfielders,' Rodri says. 

'You don't stay six years at City, always playing, if you're not a good player. He gave the team what no-one gave - the strength, the power to steal balls - and that's important.

'I think Pep has lots of talented players but maybe one of the things the team can get is more physical. They want to win the Champions League. I think City are the only team in the Premier League that plays differently and shows another type of football.'