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Spain international Rodri claims Manchester is becoming more blue after joining City
Rodri claimed Manchester is "becoming more blue" as he was officially unveiled as Manchester City's record signing on Thursday.
The Premier League champions paid a club-record £62.8million release clause to buy the Spain international from Atletico Madrid.
In previous years, Manchester United were the area's biggest attraction for top players, but Rodri feels that is changing with City now a powerful force.
The 23-year-old said: "I think City, this last five or six years, have changed the story of football here, not only in Manchester but the whole of England.
🚀⚽️ This is why Manchester City have broken their transfer record to sign Rodri for £62.8million...#MCFC pic.twitter.com/ym3BtwjlrG
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) July 4, 2019
"I don't look for the team, for the club, I look for the challenge on the sporting front and that is why I moved here.
"I love the city, I love Manchester. I talked with some guys and I think it is becoming more blue.
"I chose City because of the football challenge and the way these last two years they have won lots of things. That says this team is growing every year."
Under the guidance of Pep Guardiola, City have won back-to-back Premier League titles, with last season's success coming as part of a domestic treble.
Rodri is relishing the chance to work under the inspirational former Barcelona and Bayern Munich boss.
He said: "I think he is the greatest coach in the world and that is what made me come here.
"I want to learn and grow as a football player. I am very young, I have lots of things to do, to grow, to learn and I think with this coach, Pep, I am going to grow here."
🤑 #MCFC's £50m+ transfers over the past three years...
— Sporting Life Football (@SportingLifeFC) July 4, 2019
1⃣ Rodri (Atletico, 2019, £62.8m)
2⃣ Mahrez (#LCFC, '18, £60m)
3⃣ Laporte (Bilbao, Jan '18, £57m)
4⃣ De Bruyne (Wolfsburg, '15, £54m)
5⃣ Walker (#THFC, '17, £53m)
6⃣ Mendy (Monaco, '17, £52m)
7⃣ Stones (#EFC, '16, £50m) pic.twitter.com/XQxs9mHbBB
Rodri, speaking at a press conference at the City Football Academy, looked comfortable in his new surroundings and conversed in fluent English, a language learned when travelling the United States before his football career began.
A year ago, Rodri joined Atletico from Villarreal for about a third of the cost City have just paid for him, but the fee does not bother him.
He said: "For me it is just a number. I don't like talking about money. I am a footballer, playing football. I like people only to ask me about what I am doing on the pitch."
Rodri, who has been compared to Barcelona's Sergio Busquets, ends City's long search for cover for 34-year-old Fernandinho in the defensive midfield position. He recognises he will have to fight hard for a place in the team.
"Here are greatest players in the world, so I am going to work all day to say, 'Coach, I am ready to be in that position'. I know I am going to fight every day," he commented
The next challenge for City, after last season's clean sweep of domestic trophies, is to win the Champions League.
Rodri is convinced the team can claim Europe's top prize in the near future.
He said: "City have achieved an awful lot and what they have won in England is fantastic.
"I think they are just a small step away from reproducing that in Europe. It has always been a dream of mine to win the Champions League and I don't think we are far away from achieving that."
Manchester City's most expensive other signings
Riyad Mahrez (Leicester, July 2018, £60million)
City had to wait six months to sign the Algerian after failing in January 2018. The winger made 44 appearances and 12 goals in his maiden season but only 14 of those were Premier League starts and he has yet to establish himself as first-choice.
Aymeric Laporte (Athletic Bilbao, January 2018, £57m)
Took a while to settle after joining mid-season but has since proved to be a very good buy and is now Pep Guardiola's main man in central defence. He will take on more responsibility following the departure of Vincent Kompany.
Kevin De Bruyne (Wolfsburg, August 2015, £54m)
Up there alongside David Silva and Sergio Aguero as City's best buys in the last 10 years. Has had injury problems recently but is the creative fulcrum in the midfield and adds a genuine touch of class to an already star-studded line-up.
Benjamin Mendy (Monaco, July 2017, £52m)
Signed as a long-term solution at left-back but injuries have restricted him to 23 appearances since arriving. Add to that his love of social media which appears to frustrate and annoy Guardiola in equal measure means he still has a lot to prove.
John Stones (Everton, August 2016, £47.5m)
His confidence on the ball seemingly made him an ideal fit to be the main man orchestrating Guardiola's plan from central defence. He has some good games but also been exposed with some high-profile errors. Lost his place to Kompany in last season's title run-in but will get another chance now the captain has left.