Tottenham Hotspur midfielder Yves Bissouma has been talking up a Manchester City player he believes is one of the very best in his position in the world.
Many of the stars on the books at the Etihad right now are among the top performers in the game today.
You have Erling Haaland who is arguably the greatest goalscorer. Then you have Kevin De Bruyne, who remains the best creative midfielder.
John Stones and Ruben Dias are among the best central defenders, while Ederson is also in the conversation for best goalkeeper.
Being a midfielder, Bissouma has focused on one player from that area of City’s team. And this player is someone he has a great deal of respect for…
Yves Bissouma blown away by ‘very consistent’ Manchester City star Rodri
Bissouma sat down to film a video with Sky Sports when he got talking about Rodri, the lynchpin of Manchester City’s midfield.
Bissouma was given a word or phrase, and was then required to write down something he associated with it.
When asked for ‘the best defensive midfielder in the world?’, Bissouma wrote down Rodri and said: “He’s very consistent. It’s really hard to do that you know. For me, he’s one of the best midfielders because of that. He really understands the game as well. He’s helping his team. When he plays and when he doesn’t play, you can see.
“When he plays for example, you know he’s there. When he’s not playing, City miss him.”
Rodri the best bar none
Bissouma knows the score here and there will be plenty of other midfielders who would also have written Rodri’s name done if asked the same question.
The case can certainly be made for £63 million man Rodri as being the very best holding midfield in the game right now.
Not only does he provide fantastic protection for the defence, he just completely controls games from the base of midfield and has a brilliant passing range.
Not only that, he is an offensive threat, as evidenced by his eight goals (his best-ever return in a season) and 12 assists.
Rodri – who Rio Ferdinand reckons should be Player of he Year over Phil Foden – is undoubtedly the gold standard right now, and it’s as Bissouma says, he is so important that City definitely feel it when he doesn’t play for whatever reason.