TA: Rodri’s Severe Injury Prompts Fans to Call for Phillips’ Recall, but Contract Situation Restricts Man City from Bringing Him Back This Season

The new Premier League season has just begun, and Manchester City is already facing a significant challenge—their key midfielder Rodri has suffered a severe injury. Even more concerning for the fans is that Manchester City cannot recall Kalvin Phillips as a replacement for Rodri.

Rodri is not only a core player for Manchester City but also a pivotal member of the Spanish national team that won the 2024 European Championship. During last weekend’s match between Manchester City and Arsenal, Rodri fell to the ground in great pain after colliding with Thomas Partey. According to British media reports, Rodri’s injury is quite serious, potentially involving damage to his anterior cruciate ligament (ACL).

If Rodri requires surgery, it means he will likely miss the entire 2024/25 season. In light of this situation, many Manchester City fans have started discussing whether the club could quickly recall Phillips to fill the void left by Rodri. However, The Athletic (TA) points out that this option is not feasible.

The issue lies in the fact that Manchester City had loaned Phillips to Ipswich Town just last month, explicitly stating that the English star would remain with the promoted team until the end of the season. According to the agreement between the two clubs, Manchester City does not have the right to recall Phillips mid-season.

Looking back, Phillips signed a six-year contract with Manchester City in 2022, with a transfer fee of £42 million (excluding an additional £3 million in performance-related clauses). Despite high expectations and significant investment from Manchester City, Phillips’ performance did not meet the anticipated standards. He only made 31 appearances for Manchester City, scoring one goal. Prior to this loan, he had also had a brief stint at West Ham United.