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Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images
Photo by Henry Browne/Getty Images

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Whether Manchester City can recall Kalvin Phillips from Ipswich Town after Rodri injury

Billy Meyers
Billy Meyers

Many Ipswich Town fans are wondering whether Manchester City can recall Kalvin Phillips from his loan spell at Portman Road after Rodri suffered a serious injury.

The Spain international hobbled off du🧜ring Sunday’s 2-2 draw against Arsenal, with rumours suggesting he could miss the rest of the 2024/25 campaign.

Of course, Kalvin Phillips plays in the same position as Rodri, and was mainly loaned out to Ipswich Town due to his inability to dislodge the Spaniard from Pep Guardiola’s starting XI, so can Manchester City recall him to fill the void? Let’s take a look…

Can Manchester City recall Kalvin Phillips from Ipswich Town?

The answer is no – according to .

When the loan deal was announced back in August, it was specifically made clear that Manchester City did not negotiate a recall option in the agreement, meaning Phillips – who Everton also wanted – is spending the entirety♚ of the 2024/25 campaign a𝐆t Portman Road.

Therefore, Guardiola will h��ave to wait until the January transfer win✃dow to find external cover for Rodri.

In the meanti🔯me, the 53-year-old could turn to 𝓡Ilkay Gundogan, who typically operates further forward, but is more than talented enough to shine in a No.6 role.

Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images
Photo by Paul Harding/Getty Images

Guardiola’s other options include Mateo Kovacic and Matheus 𓄧Nunes – who are both admittedly closer to being roaming No.8 style midfielders – while Rico Lewis could🐠 cover for Rodri too.

Pep Guardiola could reignite John Stones experiment

Some fans will recall Guardiola using John Stoꦛnes⛎ in central midfield during the historic treble winning campaign back in the 2022/23 season.

The England international actually shone in that position, remarkably completing six successful dribbles♈ in the 1-0 UEFA Champions League final win over Intꦉer Milan.

🤪No player had made that many in a 𝕴UEFA Champions League final since Lionel Messi completed ten dribbles in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over Juventus in 2015.

Not only is Stones an adventurous dribbler, but his physique makes him a similarly impo𝓡sing figure to Rodri in a No.6 role, something the smaller Gundogan, K꧟ovacic, Nunes and Lewis do not possess.

Therefore, Guardiola could resurrect this tactic to deal with the absence of Rodri🔴 – in our view, at least.