Man City want next Ballack, with Guardiola keen to strengthen as Rodri concerns loom

Manchester City are reportedly monitoring German midfielder Rocco Reitz, who has been likened to compatriot Michael Ballack, and could serve as an ideal replacement for the injured Rodri.

City have struggled enormously since Rodri ruptured his ACL. They have since lost five times in all competitions, and of their last six games, have failed to win any.

Concerns have been raised over the midfield, with Ilkay Gundogan singled out for his struggles in the 4-0 loss to Tottenham in late November.

To turn things around, City are believed to be assessing midfield options.

According to GIVEMESPORT, they have been keeping tabs on Borussia Monchengladbach 22-year-old Reitz, who has been likened to former Germany midfielder Ballack due to his quality on the ball.

The barren run of form at City without Rodri has led them to seek reinforcements, with the club weighing up whether to test the Bundesliga side’s resolve, given it’s believed they don’t want to sanction Reitz’s exit.

The report states it’s too soon to be certain if the Citizens will move for him in January. However, the midfielder has cropped up on the radar of many Premier League clubs for his performances of late, so they might decide to attempt to beat rivals to the punch.

READ MORE: The key contract details of every Man City first-team player: Expiry dates, weekly wages, agents…

City’s ageing midfield

Reitz is just 22 and has performed aptly for Germany under-21s over 10 appearances, while also making a senior squad.

City’s current holding-midfield options are ageing, with Gundogan now 34 and Mateo Kovacic 30, while 26-year-old Matheus Nunes has been used further forward when he has played.

As such, it seems the Citizens could benefit from adding some youth to the engine room.

Reitz, a player who can protect the defence but also score goals – six in the Bundesliga last season – might be a great asset to bring on board.

Man City round-up: Midfield moves high on agenda

It is clear that City are keen to improve their midfield, with talks having apparently been held for Juventus pair Douglas Luiz and Nicolo Fagiolo.

Morten Hjulmand is also on City’s list, but it’s believed Manchester United will look to barge them aside for the Sporting CP man.

Meanwhile, a move for Adam Wharton could be tough, as Arsenal are said to be in the mix for him.

Further up the field, the Citizens are said to be edging closer to confirming Erling Haaland’s new contract, with a report stating they’re ‘increasingly confident’ of tying him down, but whether or not his release clause remains is unclear.

Who is Rocco Reitz?

By Samuel Bannister

Last season was a breakthrough campaign for Reitz in the Bundesliga after his return to Borussia Monchengladbach on the back of a second loan spell in Belgium with Sint-Truiden.

A product of the Gladbach academy, which he joined at the age of seven, Reitz only had four appearances for the club to his name at the time of his return, but added another 37 by the end of the 2023-24 campaign, in which his side finished in a disappointing 14th position.

Yet after scoring six goals along the way, Reitz earned the opportunity to train with the senior German national team in the build-up to Euro 2024, even if he wasn’t included in the final squad. His debut at under-21 level had only come in November 2023, which shows how much he developed over the course of the season.

A defensive-midfielder, Reitz boasted good passing and tackling metrics last season. A profile posted on the Bundesliga’s official website back in May 2024 compared him to Michael Ballack in terms of his playing style.

Gerardo Seoane, his head coach for Gladbach, has highlighted his “aggressive” attributes, but also his ability to spot chances to create in the final third.

Four times over the course of the 2023-24 season, Reitz was named Gladbach’s player of the month, before being nominated for their player of the season award. None of his team-mates contested as many duels as he did over the season, showing his physical nature.

His reliability no doubt helped his development, as he was able to feature in every Bundesliga match for his side. As long as he can stay healthy, he could develop even further throughout 2024-25.