Rodri aiming to make Man City return BEFORE end of season with Ballon d'Or winner 'feeling better than I thought' after undergoing knee surgery

The Spanish midfielder, who won the Ballon d'Or in Paris last month ahead of Vinicius Junior, ruptured his ACL during a Premier League clash against Arsenal in September. It was initially believed that Rodri might have played his last game of the 2024-25 campaign for Manchester City, however, he is hoping to return ahead of schedule.

Speaking on the Spanish show COPE, the 28-year-old said: "I have in mind to play this season. Now the seasons are getting longer and the (Club) World Cup ends on July 13, I have in mind to return this year, as a challenge. I’ve already started walking and I’m feeling better than I thought."

It has been a nightmare for City in the past couple of weeks as they have lost four games in a row - the first time in Pep Guardiola's coaching career - including back-to-back defeats against Bournemouth and Brighton in the Premier League. They have been ousted from the Carabao Cup, faced humiliation against Ruben Amorim's Sporting CP in the Champions League and they are currently trailing English top-flight leaders Liverpool by five points.

The reigning English champions will aim to get back to winning ways after the international break as they meet Tottenham in a difficult home fixture in the Premier League on November 23.