Manchester City star Rodri has reportedly been named as this year’s Ballon d’Or winner after a series of reports and leaks online.
The Spanish midfield maestro who has been integral to Man City’s success ever since he joined back in 2019 – especially in their Treble-winning year as he scored the only goal in the Champions League final to seal the magnificent feat – was named among the frontrunners for the coveted sporting award.
With that in mind, when it was reported that not a single member of Real Madrid’s team would be travelling to the 2024 Ballon d’Or ceremony on Monday (that includes Kylian Mbappe, Jude Bellingham and Vinicius Junior, by the way) subsequent rumours that Rodri name is already on the trophy followed.
Multiple so-called ‘leaks’ like this have been circulating on social media and while this doesn’t necessarily confirm anything, it was the follow-up coverage by reliable football reporter Fabrizio Romano that has added extra fuel to the fire.
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The Italian transfer expert and breaking football news specialist first backed up fellow journalist Fabrice Hawkins’ claim that Vini Jr would not be attending the awards in Paris tonight, before adding that neither would a single representative from Madrid.
When not a single member of Los Blancos is turning up whatsoever, you know there’s something amiss…
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Meanwhile, the 28-year-old defensive midfielder – who also still contributed nine goals and 14 assists across all competitions – has already been filmed arriving in the French capital for the 68th edition of the annual event.
City themselves also posted what admittedly does feel like a not-so-subtly timed compilation of the number 16’s best bits from his standout 2023/24 campaign.
Once again, much of this still remains largely conjecture but if the talents playing for the La Liga giants truly aren’t attending the event itself, you would assume it’s because they know they’re not winning and if they’re ruled out then that would mean Rodri is one of a very small few contenders left at the top of list.
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Rodri is currently out for the rest of the season, having suffered a serious injury during Euro 2024 after leading his country to the final when they beat England this past summer, with the worst ultimately being confirmed after a short-lived comeback against Arsenal last month.
That being said, his absence from Pep Guardiola’s squad is noticeable and his impact when he is available cannot be overstated.
City very rarely lose when Rodri is in the starting lineup and when you’re talking about a player who has won more trophies (8) than he has lost games for club and country since 2023 (4), it’s not hard to see why he’s tipped as favourite to win the 2024 Ballon d’Or. The ceremony takes place at 7:45pm tonight.
Meanwhile, the mood is ironically rather blue over in the red half of Manchester as United manager Erik ten Hag‘s time at Old Trafford has come to an end after two and a half years.
Luxury Manchester gym Blok confirms permanent closure after weeks of uncertainty
Daisy Jackson
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure, weeks after the doors to the premium fitness facility mysteriously closed.
Around a fortnight ago, members began to arrive to their classes to find the gym on Ducie Street locked up and a forfeiture notice on the door – but at the time, Blok said that it was fighting to reopen.
Sadly, in an email sent to members today, its founder has confirmed that the studio is now permanently closed.
Blok – which has several very successful sites down in London – said that its relationship with its landlord has ‘broken down to a point where trust has been lost’.
The gym wrote that it’s been left with ‘no workable way forward’.
They said: “BLOK Manchester was a space built by our loyal and dedicated community. Whether you joined us for one class or one hundred, we are deeply grateful. You helped create something genuinely special in an incredible city.”
In the immediate future, they said they’ll be supporting the team of fantastic trainers who worked here, as well as looking after members.
Members will be contacted within a few hours with options and refunds owed.
Blok Manchester has announced its permanent closure. Credit: The Manc Group
CEO and founder Ed Stanbury said: “While this marks the end of a chapter, we don’t see it as the end of our story in Manchester. We’re already speaking with developers about potential future sites and remain committed to returning to the city when the time is right.
“Thank you for being part of our story so far. Let’s shape the future of wellness. The mission continues.”
Commenting on Blok’s Instagram post – its first in almost a fortnight – people have been sharing their sadness at the closure of its Manchester site.
One person wrote: “beautiful space, beautiful staff and beautiful community.”
Another said: “Sending love to all the instructors !! :(((( gutted”
Someone else commented: “THE BEST CLASSES. I’m gutted.”
Manchester City plotting spending spree ‘before’ Club World Cup
Danny Jones
Manchester City are set to embark on somewhat of a spending spree this summer transfer window as the club’s higher-ups are looking to get business done before the 2025 Club World Cup.
With FIFA’s intercontinental club competition set to get underway in mid-June, the Blues don’t have too long to welcome in new players, but Man City chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak has reiterated their urgency regarding recruitment.
Despite having brought in four new acquisitions in a very short space of time last season, the 50-year-old argued that he wasn’t completely happy with the extent and speed of their business.
Giving a lengthy interview this week, CFG‘s founding chairman has imposed an internal deadline ahead of the lucrative knockout competition.
Speaking with club media, Khaldoon recognised that while there were incomings in January of this year, he believes they “should have been more aggressive in some of the changes we needed to do, adding that he believes it “cost [them].”
“I can tell you today, we have clearly identified who exactly [the targets are], in what positions, and we have our clear number one option, our clear number two option”, he continues.
More importantly, he goes on to add: “We’ll go about our business, and it will be very clear, very swift. Our objective is to try to be ready with the new squad for the Club World Cup.”
He also suggested the flurry of activity this past January was not just atypical of the administration, but felt the squad fell into a crisis state with the number of injuries, insisting they “had to act.”
City have already been linked with a hugely talented and highly-rated European target in the wake of Kevin De Bruyne‘s departure and a lack of strength in depth in midfield.
An initial bid is said to have been received already and will likely be the first of many City summer signings.
He also insisted that the players who joined last season weren’t scattershot, emergency transfers (perhaps barring the resigning of İlkay Gündoğan) but were the start of the rebuild and “gives [fans] an idea of what’s coming this summer.”
Another player linked with a move to the Etihad Stadium is Lyon star Rayan Cherki, who scored in big moments during their Europa League run this year, registering 32 goal contributions across all competitions throughout the 24/25 campaign.
Who would you like to see added to Pep Guardiola’s side this summer, then, Man City fans?
You can watch Khaldoon Al Mubarak’s interview in full down below:
Danny Jones -
28th October 2024 
