Man Metropolis be part of switch race for La Liga gem likened to Foden and Odegaard

Manchester Metropolis have reportedly joined the race for a participant who has been statistically in comparison with midfield maestros Phil Foden and Martin Odegaard.

Foden has proven glimpses of his highest this season after a reasonably lacklustre marketing campaign in 2024/25, however latest reviews have urged that the reigning Premier League champions have a watch on a La Liga starlet who may very well be his future protégé.

A declare within the Each day Mail says that Metropolis’s scouts have been eager on the teenager for round two years, and his early-season stats actually again up the concept that he has loads of potential to grow to be one of many sport’s high artistic midfielders.

However amid reported curiosity from Arsenal and Actual Madrid, Metropolis could have their work minimize out to lure the in-demand gem to the Etihad Stadium.

Manchester Metropolis be part of race for Foden-esque starlet Rodrigo Mendoza

Rodrigo Mendoza is having fun with his first season of top-tier soccer, with Elche gaining promotion final time period.

And he seems to be taking effectively to this new stage of competitors, inserting within the high 6% of gamers acting at an identical stage over the previous yr for progressive carries, as per FBref.

Mendoza’s spectacular numbers don’t cease there, as he additionally locations within the high 3% for progressive passes obtained and the highest 1% for profitable take-ons.

The principle caveat to those stats is that they’re derived from a considerably decrease variety of minutes (544) in comparison with the likes of Foden (2,655), who has performed virtually 5 instances as many minutes throughout the Premier League and Champions League.

Nonetheless, Mendoza’s age and artistic numbers nonetheless paint a hanging image of the midfielder’s abilities, regardless of the small pattern measurement.

FBref’s information suggests he’s statistically just like the likes of Phil Foden, Martin Odegaard and summer time arrival Tijjani Reijnders.

Due to this fact, it’s maybe no shock that Mendoza’s prospects have caught the eyes of Pep Guardiola’s scouting staff.

Mendoza v Foden (2025/26) Rodrigo Mendoza Phil Foden
Prog. Carries 2.65 (94%) 2.58 (93%)
Succ. Take-ons 1.82 (99%) 0.68 (63%)
Touches (Att Pen) 2.81 (91%) 3.42 (96%)
Prog. Passes Rec 6.29 (97%) 6.03 (97%)
Stats per 90 (2025/26) Stats through FBref (percentiles in brackets)

His lack of expertise could also be a sticking level for Metropolis, and may very well be some extent of concern for a participant who can be eager on constant sport time at this fragile stage of his profession.

In the meantime, the calibre of competitors additionally after his signature might but be Metropolis’s greatest impediment to signing him sooner or later.

The report doesn’t make clear when an strategy may very well be forthcoming, which might trace {that a} summer time bid is extra doubtless, provided that the winter window is just weeks away.


Stephan Georgiou

Administrator

Graduated in Sport Journalism (BA) with first-class honours from the College of Brighton and has since had bylines in The Occasions, sports activities enterprise publication SportsPro, Soccer FanCast and The Gooner fanzine.

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