Up in the offices at the City Football Academy, overlooking a squad car park which has a couple of extra vacant spaces this year, Txiki Begiristain compiles a file of three for every position.

It's not a physical list scribbled on a notepad. Begiristain keeps Manchester City's potential transfer activity in his head for as long as possible, and then come the PowerPoint presentations alongside Carlos Raphael Moersen, who has assumed the role of the sporting director's lieutenant after Omar Berrada's defection to rivals United.

Begiristain attempts to shroud each signing in such secrecy that when Rodri arrived through the doors five years ago, he had been known merely as 'The No 6' at City for months.

Sifting through the tens of candidates who could serve as his back-up has been no easy task for City. To find somebody good enough to deputise for Rodri but also happy to act as deputy to the world's best in that area of the pitch appears nigh-on impossible. They thought Kalvin Phillips was the perfect fit, yet the 28-year-old spent Friday finalising a loan move to newly promoted Ipswich.

It's why the noises around City all summer have been that a conventional holding midfielder is unlikely to be signed before the transfer window shuts, despite a clamour from the fans.

Manchester City will be forced to adapt to playing without key man Rodri on Sunday afternoon

Sunday's trip to Chelsea will provide more clues as to whether that is the right call after Pep Guardiola revealed Rodri — the fulcrum of this City side and a contender for the Ballon d'Or — would not be in the squad.

The 28-year-old suffered a thigh injury in Spain's European Championship final victory over England — after a collision with former City defender Aymeric Laporte — and although Guardiola suggested Rodri feels fine, they have allowed him extra rest over the summer.

Rodri did not return to the club until Wednesday, when he completed pre-season tests.

'He hasn't trained and I haven't seen him yet,' Guardiola said. 'I think he feels good. But we have to start training and we'll see how he moves his body and how he feels.'

Guardiola maintained there is 'no chance' of Rodri travelling to Stamford Bridge, after Mateo Kovacic and teenager Nico O'Reilly manned midfield against United in the Community Shield.

Rico Lewis spent the days before the curtain-raiser going through drills in that area of the pitch and is seen as someone capable of performing there. The main argument in favour of the 19-year-old is that he makes City play quicker.

Lewis and Kovacic did not link well in last season's 1-0 defeat at Arsenal — one of four games Rodri missed in the Premier League. Of the other three, they lost two and beat Luton.

Rodri has not been on the losing side in the league since February 2023. It's fair to suggest he is the most important player of any team in the division, having missed only 18 matches in five seasons. City score more, concede fewer and collect more points when he is involved.

Chelsea would certainly rather Rodri stayed in Manchester than board the Avanti train down to London today. Cole Palmer would prefer a Rodri-less central area to drift into; him not being there to patrol gives Chelsea a sniff.

'We prioritise rest,' Guardiola said. 'I would love to give the players even more time off but I demand the best against Chelsea — we know we have to take points as soon as possible. Everyone knows we are not in the best condition but it doesn't matter.

'From my experience, the season is so long and the important thing is that the players are ready — especially mentally — and for that you need rest. I could have called them back before and maybe they would have arrived in better condition for the Community Shield, but I learned it doesn't matter.'

The England contingent — John Stones, Phil Foden and Kyle Walker — all returned to City on Monday and are in contention to feature on Sunday. Foden and Walker are seen as two players who can press play and go immediately, and Walker would free up Lewis to play in midfleld.

Kovacic, meanwhile, is mindful he needs to add the No 6 string to his bow. Most of the Croatian's better displays in an encouraging debut campaign came next to Rodri — with the opportunity to drive forward, safe in the knowledge of who stood behind — but he believes he needs to do more when the Spaniard is absent. His lack of awareness in that role was evident in September's 2-1 defeat at Wolves and he has not played on his own there since.

'The positioning — to stay, to cover, to not get caught up with the ball — is a thing I have to improve,' Kovacic said. 'What is asked of the No 6 is to hold the position, to stay there and to not get too involved in going everywhere, which is sometimes difficult for a guy who is used to going. The manager explains and we are watching on video so we know what we have to do.

'I like when I have support because I haven't played so much there on my own. It's more difficult because you have to cover the space better because you're on your own, you're not in a two.'

What seems certain is that unless Begiristain dreams up a new name — finding the equivalent of a steal like Manuel Akanji two years ago — then Rodri will remain the one specialist No 6 at Guardiola's disposal.