We may have thankfully moved on from the days when the great Didier Deschamps was demeaned as a ‘water carrier’ but still, exceptional holding midfielders fail to get the true plaudits they deserve.

The only exceptions that come to mind are Claude Makelele, who ultimately, for a good while, had the role named in his honour, and N’Golo Kante, who left us exhausted just watching him cover every blade of glass ten-fold per match.

Manchester City’s Rodri is not an exception, our admiration chiefly reserved for the extraordinary prolificacy of Erling Haaland and the sublime creativity of Kevin De Bruyne.

Elsewhere, we either go dewy-eyed or hate on Jack Grealish – depending on our club allegiance – and shake our heads in exasperation at a winger’s naivety in trying to beat Kyle Walker for pace.

For the hipsters among us, there is John Stones excelling in a hybrid capacity. 

For his part, Rodri is consistently brilliant, and it’s a brilliance that is universally taken for granted. He’s just there, every game, pulling the strings and immaculately so. What else is there to say?

Which is odd frankly. It’s an odd oversight, especially when it’s acknowledged that for a team that routinely smashes the Premier League betting, the Spanish international is by some distance their most important player. 

Really? Yes, really. Because should you take De Bruyne out of this City creation via injury, it remodels itself to accommodate his loss. This we have seen several times over across several seasons.

Likewise, minus Haaland, City revisit the false nine stratagem that gained them 99 league goals in 2021/22. 

Rodri however is utterly indispensable. He is the cornerstone of the magnificent edifice Pep Guardiola has constructed.

He is the human personification of an elaborate blueprint that has taken his club to unprecedented heights, pivotal both in and out of possession. 

His immense importance is best illustrated by the sheer number of minutes he played last season, in a structure that often sees its key components rested, it’s shape rejigged and refreshed.

Rodri started all-but-one of City’s Champions League fixtures – scoring the crucial winning goal in the final – and all-but-three league games. Indeed, the only player to start more games in a single campaign under Guardiola is Lionel Messi in 2011/12.

His stats meanwhile were remarkable, again illustrating his substantial contribution to a substantial team.

Only Brighton’s Lewis Dunk completed more passes in the Premier League last term, the next midfielder being Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg with 721 fewer.

Rodri on average won two aerial duels per 90 and only Haaland and De Bruyne won more Man of the Match awards within the City framework. 

In possession, he initiated 11 open-play sequences that ended with a goal in the Premier League in 2022-23, four more than any other player. Out of possession, his 466 ball recoveries was the most of any top-flight star.

Moreover, in an outstanding, perfect ten months of competitive football, Rodri posted the most progressive carries (384) in the league and the highest carry progress (3,953 metres) of any midfielder, a seismic influence that he transferred to the Champions League too.

There, against the elite of Europe, the 27-year-old regained possession on 105 occasions, 26 more times than any other player. Aptly, the last player to reach that figure was Claude Makelele, who had Rodri’s position named after him. 

The Spanish conductor may not be the guy who directly alters the sports betting, instead starting the moves that leads to weekly deconstructions of the great and the good.

But figures such as the above makes us believe that perhaps we’ve short-changed his stature by claiming he is merely Manchester City’s most important element. 

He is the Premier League’s best player, bar none.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

A ball has yet to be kicked in anger. Across the forthcoming 2023/24 Premier League campaign there are 34,200 minutes of competitive football to play out. 

Prior to all that, several weeks remain of a transfer window that can transform a club’s standing with a signature of two.

And lastly, one of the clubs in question brought in a manager last January who installed a more rigid structure to his new team, making them difficult to beat from March onwards. 

Moreover, he has a proven track record at keeping sides among the elite. 

So why is it, when acknowledging all this, that it already feels like Everton are destined to drop next year, losing their top-flight status for the first time in several generations?

Why does a sad ending feel so inevitable for a story that has not yet even begun? Why do the Toffees’ Premier League relegation odds look so enticing in mid-July? 

To explain this, we must look past the results from the Toffee’s latter half of last term, results that were barely cause for encouragement, if truth be told, even if they did lift the relegation-haunted club out of the bottom three, surviving by the skin of their teeth on the final day.

Throughout Sean Dyche’s 18 matches in charge, Everton averaged 1.1 points-per-game. When extrapolated across 2022/23 that would have seen the Blues look worryingly over their shoulder in every season of the Premier League era.The results therefore didn’t speak of any transformative improvement. Instead, it merely suggested that a better coach was at the helm, demanding greater application aided by well-drilled shape and discipline. 

What was still missing however, hopelessly so leading up to Christmas, and then crucially still in scant supply, thereafter, were two aspects that any self-respecting top-flight outfit need to get by, they being quality and fight.

A threadbare squad contributed to the first failing, most notably in attacking areas that desperately relied on a focal point in Dominic Calvert-Lewin who was unable to stay fit.

As for heart and grit, even with a renowned taskmaster such as Dyche in charge, and even amidst a relegation scrap, and even in front of fans who will bring the roof off at the sight of a wholly committed challenge, Everton looked resigned to fail throughout. 

It was as if the players looked around the dressing room and knew they fell short. It was as if they had accepted a fate they were absolutely capable of subverting. 

That doesn’t simply vanish via a summer hiatus, and that doesn’t alter via a ginger bloke shouting hoarsely at them on the training ground. 

Real change is needed, a change in personnel. So entrenched is the malaise at the club, Everton must start from scratch. 

It greatly concerns then that the Toffees are stony broke, so far recruiting only the ironically-named 38-year-old Ashley Young on a free, while losing a couple of their emerging teens who at least showed promise. 

Which leads us to a likely scenario, that right now feels more probable than probable. That Everton’s forthcoming season will replicate their last. 

Don’t look for them in the Premier League top four odds. Don’t even consider any form of resurrection that might see them compete even in the top half. 

For theirs is a pre-season accompanied by the sound of gallows being constructed.

*Credit for all of the photos in this article belongs to AP Photo*

André Onana was one of the top targets of the summer for Manchester United... and they made it happen.

Erik ten Hag is the man behind this story, because the Dutch manager wanted to improve the style of playing including the goalkeeper in their plans and André Onana was already well known by ten Hag after their experience at Ajax.

Of course, the excellent season Onana had at Inter helped Manchester United to decide internally about a surprising change with David de Gea leaving the club and Onana joining.

Sources reveal that Man United scouts were in attendance "more than 10 times" this season between Serie A and Champions League games to monitor Onana progress.

Personality, quality and also his huge leadership are the key factors that convinced Manchester United to proceed with an important bid for Onana.

The initial one was close to €40m plus €5m add-ons, rejected out of hand by Inter as they always wanted more.

But after two weeks negotiations, the two clubs have reached an agreement for €50m package deal, with discussions on add-ons and payment terms taking more than 5 days then the green light arrived on Sunday night with Man United already planning for Onana's travel, medical tests and all the final formal steps before announcing the Cameroon goalkeeper as their second signing of the summer after Mason Mount.

It was never a problem to agree personal terms with Onana despite multiple reports.

The negotiation was very normal as André wanted to join Manchester United since day one; it's important to clarify that he was very happy at Inter, in love with the club, the teammates and the city... but "when he got Manchester United call and Erik ten Hag's direct messages, it was impossible to reject", sources confirm.

Onana has agreed to sign a five year contract valid until June 2028, but it will also include an option valid for further season valid until June 2029; this shows how Manchester United are convinced that they've signed the best possible goalkeeper for the present... and also the future.

The most difficult part of this story for Manchester United was probably to communicate their decision to David de Gea.

Because he's a legend of the club, but also because ten Hag repeated multiple times in public that David was expected to stay as Man United's goalkeeper next season.

The agreement to sign new deal was almost done at the end of March, de Gea was just waiting for club's confirmation then to go and sign the new deal... but it collapsed as Manchester United first decided to change the conditions of the agreement, then told de Gea that their final decision was to proceed with André Onana as new first goalkeeper.

It was impossible for de Gea to stay as backup goalkeeper, not in his competitive style.

This is why it was a sad moment for the Spanish goalkeeper but also for people at the club, not the best way to say goodbye to a fantastic guy and player like de Gea who made history at Manchester United.

But that's football and André Onana is coming very soon to sign and be unveiled as new Red Devils star.