Former Liverpool ace Steve McManaman expects Rodri to be an important player for Manchester City in his debut campaign but says he will find it difficult to dethrone Fernandinho in midfield.
The 23-year-old arrived at the Etihad Stadium as the Brazilian's long-term successor in Pep Guardiola's side, adding depth to a position where City have lacked options in recent years.
Fans are expecting big things from the club's new record signing but McManaman has warned that they, along with the Rodri himself, need to be patient, as he doesn't expect Fernandinho will be replaced immediately.
“I think for the future yeah. I don’t necessarily think it will happen this year because Fernandinho, when he’s fit and well, has got a really important part to play,” he told BT Sport.
“But I think they also know they have to have someone ready, rather than a Kevin De Bruyne going in or a Bernardo Silva, this man plays this role and he plays it really well.
“He will be a successor in years to come without a shadow of a doubt. When you have 50, 60, 70 games to play, they’ll all play a part and he’ll have a big season ahead of him.
“But it’s going to be difficult to just jump in from the Spanish league right into the Premier League. It’s a different tempo and it will be interesting to see how he gets on today because their pre-season games will be nothing compared to today’s game.”
