With Rodri out for the season, Manchester City has been linked with several midfielders of late. A new report indicates that the champions have sent scouts to watch FC Porto midfielder Alan Varela in recent weeks. In my opinion, Varela may be the ideal midfielder for the champions to attempt to bring in during the January transfer window.
Steve Kay has reported for Football Transfers that Manchester City are keeping a close eye on Alan Varela. Furthermore, Kay reports that City have recently sent scouts to monitor the Argentinian midfielder. Kay adds that City have compiled a list of midfielders to bring in to cover the loss of Rodri. Varela features prominently on the list. Lastly, Kay adds that the reported €70 million release clause in Varela’s current deal wouldn’t pose a problem for Manchester City to activate.
Alan Varela could be the perfect replacement for Rodri based on the strengths of his game.
It must be said that there is no such thing as a like-for-like replacement for Rodri. He is a one-of-a-kind player and almost irreplaceable. Having said that a look at Alan Varela as a player indicates that he could be the ideal player to strengthen Manchester City’s midfield.
Two attributes of Varela’s play seem suited to a role in Pep Guardiola’s squad. The first is that the Argentinian midfielder excels at retaining possession. He is calm when in possession and rarely wastes a pass. Varela is a key player for FC Porto and the role he plays is crucial to their style of play. With his ability in possession, he often controls games and dictates the tempo for FC Porto. His ability in possession looks well suited to life in a Pep Guardiola side. But there is another trait of Varela’s game that could be a huge asset to Manchester City.
Varela shines in regaining possession. The FC Porto midfielder is tactically adept and his defensive positioning is elite. That makes him almost the perfect midfield destroyer, and given what Rodri provides Manchester City in this regard, Varela could potentially replace him. There are shades of Fernandinho in the way Varela plays when FC Porto are out of possession. This attribute, coupled with his ability on the ball, makes him almost the ideal player to add to Manchester City’s midfield.
It remains to be seen if a move from Manchester for Alan Varela does materialize in January. Steve Kay’s report indicates that the world champions are monitoring the FC Porto midfielder. But in my opinion if City do move for a midfielder in January Alan Varela could the perfect midfielder to complement City’s midfield.
