Maresca says Manchester City will seek Rodri replacement
Developed over time first seen 2 months ago
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says the club will "try to find the new Rodri" following the departure of the Spanish midfielder to Barcelona this week, ending his seven-year spell at the Etihad Stadium during which he became one of the world's leading players. Maresca likened the exit to previous departures such as David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho, each followed by another star signing, framing the loss as a normal part of the club's cycle rather than a crisis, and said the focus now is on recruiting well.
Rodri, 30, won the 2024 Ballon d'Or, four Premier League titles and scored the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final, as well as captaining Spain to World Cup success this summer, before signing a four-year deal at Barcelona worth around £65m; he had entered the final year of his City contract and turned down an extension. City have already broken their transfer record to sign Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £115m and are in advanced talks for Lille's Ayyoub Bouaddi, while also showing interest in Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez, Bournemouth's Alex Scott and Liverpool's Alexis Mac Allister. Meanwhile Tottenham have agreed a £75m deal for City winger Savinho and are negotiating for team-mate Omar Marmoush, with Maresca describing the club's approach to the closing stages of the window as consistent with usual late-window business.
- Rodri leaves Man City for Barcelona after seven trophy-laden seasons
- Maresca vows to find a replacement, citing past successful transitions
- City chase Bouaddi and others; Tottenham agree £75m deal for Savinho
New here? Start with this
Manchester City have just lost Rodri, the Spanish midfielder who left this week to join Barcelona after seven years at the club. During that time he became one of the best midfielders in the world, winning the 2024 Ballon d'Or, four Premier League titles and scoring the winner in the 2023 Champions League final, as well as helping Spain win the World Cup this summer. He signed a four-year deal at Barcelona for a fee of around £65m, aged 30.
City manager Enzo Maresca has responded by pointing to a pattern at the club, where the loss of a key player has previously been followed by another top signing, citing past departures such as David Silva, Sergio Aguero and Fernandinho. The comment reflects City's approach to squad building during the ongoing transfer window, in which clubs buy and sell players before a deadline, rather than any sense of crisis over Rodri's exit.
This context matters because City are still active in the transfer market, having already paid a club-record £115m for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest and remaining in talks for other midfielders, including players from Lille, Chelsea and Liverpool. How City replace Rodri is being closely watched given his central role in the team's recent success under manager Pep Guardiola.
More coverage
Read the full article at the source →
Originally published by BBC Sport as “Man City will ‘try to find the new Rodri’ – Maresca”.