Fernandinho Says He 'Will Work Closely' with Rodrigo at Manchester City

Fernandinho may be fighting for his place in Manchester City's starting XI after Rodrigo arrived from Atletico Madrid this summer, but it won't stop the Brazilian helping the player signed to eventually be his permanent replacement make the grade in the Premier League. 

City paid Atleti a club-record fee of £62.8 million to secure Rodri and give Pep Guardiola another option for the vital holding role at the base of midfield. It's a position Fernandinho has made his own since moving to Manchester from Shakhtar Donetsk in 2013.

However, Fernandinho is now 34 and 23-year-old Rodrigo offers a younger alternative for the future. Rather than being disgruntled about having to work with his inevitable successor, Fernandinho told David Clayton of City's official website: "We are going to work closely, and I will be there for him to talk and advise him with whatever he needs, but of course he’s already a quality player who I like very much."

While Fernandinho has lauded Rodrigo's technical qualities, he has offered a warning to the Spaniard about the physical nature of life in England's top flight: "There are some tough games to come, especially away at places like Burnley, Everton and Watford—different kinds of challenges but for sure he is going to learn."

Rodri has started both of City's league games, as well as the FA Community Shield win over Liverpool to start the season. He has so far caught the eye as a rugged and intelligent hub of possession:

While the new man has thrived, Fernandinho has been rested following his exertions helping Brazil win this summer's Copa America. It's given Guardiola an ideal chance to glimpse at the future.

Defensive midfielder is a key position in his system. First, the player dropping in between both centre-backs gives City a three-man cover whenever the full-backs roam forward or tuck infield to support passing combinations.

Second, the anchorman in the middle gives greater freedom to the many technicians in City's ranks to roam forward. Guardiola is spoiled for choice in this department, thanks to Kevin De Bruyne, David Silva, Bernardo Silva, Ilkay Gundogan and Phil Foden.

It's been a different story further back, though, where Fernandinho has been the one the player Guardiola could ill afford to be without. The South American's importance was underlined when he missed consecutive defeats to Crystal Palace and Leicester City back in December.

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Acquiring Rodrigo already looks like a solution to the problem, affording Guardiola the luxury of rotating and still staying strong in arguably the most important area of the pitch.

Having two players ready for the holding role could have even bigger advantages in the UEFA Champions League. Pairing the two together could give the Citizens a stronger defensive base for tough games in Europe's premier competition, according to Stuart Brennan of the Manchester Evening News.

With Fernandinho again fit enough for selection, City could begin experimenting with a more secure middle ahead of a pivotal season in the Champions League, the one major trophy missing from Guardiola's otherwise silverware-laden tenure.

Fernandinho's tutorship of the younger colossus acquired to ease City's reliance on him can help Guardiola bridge the gap after successive eliminations at the quarter-final stage.