We will find the new Rodri - Maresca | OneFootball

Enzo Maresca says that Manchester City will find a replacement for Rodri just as players have taken over from Club legends in the past.

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The target is to be in contention, says Maresca

The Spain midfielder moved to Barcelona this week after seven years as a key player at the Etihad Stadium.

Rodri himself took over from the Brazilian midfielder Fernandinho who was an inspirational figure during his time at City.

And speaking ahead of our Premier League opener against Bournemouth on Sunday, Maresca says the Club has been consistently successful at replacing great players.

“Try to find the new Rodri, it is what it is,” he said when asked about replacing the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner.

“Rodri, when he arrived here hadn’t won the Ballon d’Or, the Champions League or the Club World Cup.

“When he joined the club and after he achieved many important things. Now the target for us is to try to find the new Rodri.

“I was thinking last night when David Silva was here, [people were] worried, Kevin [De Bruyne] arrived.

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“When Aguero was here, everyone was worried, Erling arrived. Fernandino? Rodri arrived. It’s just about this.

“When they leave we need to recruit the next one. Last night I was thinking about that, it’s normal, it’s a change, it’s not a problem go again and try.”

Maresca expects more transfer business to be done before the window shuts on 1 September.

While the make-up of his squad won’t be entirely clear until then, he did reveal that three Academy players who impressed on the pre-season tour to Asia will remain with the first team squad.

“Kaden [Braithwaite], Floyd Samba and Ryan McAidoo are going to be with us. We need around 20 players plus those three players full of energy. We are happy.”

He also said that most Premier League clubs are in a similar situation in not knowing how their squads will look.

“I think it’s a similar situation for most clubs and fans,” Maresca said.

“We are waiting to do things. The normal thing in the transfer window is you have to wait until the last week, because all the clubs try to keep players until the last, so it’s normal.

“I’m not worried about that. When the transfer window closes and we have all the squad here, for sure it will be different.”

Premier League 2026/27 home tickets now on sale

General admission tickets for Manchester City’s home 2026/27 Premier League fixtures are now on sale to Premium, Matchday and Junior Members.

Season Ticket Members, meanwhile, are now also able to purchase additional tickets for selected games.

Premier League match-by-match ticket prices for junior and adult Matchday Members have been retained at the same rate for a third consecutive season.

It promises to be another thrilling campaign for the Blues as we enter a new era under the guidance of Enzo Maresca, who takes over from Pep Guardiola in the hotseat.

Make sure you secure your spot at the Etihad Stadium for our Premier League fixtures now!

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