It's no secret that Man City are in the market for a new midfielder, as the Premier League club was dealt a significant blow with the loss of Rodri for a long-term period.
The Spain international went down early in the late-September match against Arsenal and was diagnosed with a cruciate ligament tear, leaving him sidelined for months, likely the remainder of the season.
One player posited as a potential replacement is Real Sociedad midfielder Martin Zubimendi, who was linked to Arsenal and Liverpool in the summer before the Gunners settled on a move for Mikel Merino and the Reds opted to strengthen other positions.
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The 25-year-old is a Real Sociedad academy graduate and has gained European notoriety in the past 18 months, establishing himself as a regular within the Spain squad and helping La Real secure a European berth with a sixth-place finish in the Spanish top flight last season.
After linking up with the Spain squad for the October international break, Zubimendi addressed the speculation while speaking to the media.
"There are always rumours but until now I've always thought that the best solution for me is staying at Real Sociedad," he said. "I've still a lot of things to give to this club, I still want to grow and develop here."
It seems a straight-arrow response that provides little insight into the player's true feelings on the matter one way or the other.
Zubimendi's contract at Real Sociedad runs through the summer of 2027, meaning any club who wishes to secure his services in January would likely have to pay full value to ensure a successful switch. There are reports that Zubimendi has a €51 million ($55.8m / £42.7m) release clause in his contract, likely meaning a winter move would require a club matching that mark.
