Manchester City plot major transfer move on Premier League trio to start Enzo Maresca era | OneFootball

A trio of Premier League stars are firmly on the radar at Manchester City ahead of the upcoming summer transfer window, according to reports.

News of an impending summer recruitment push pivots the focus at the Etihad Stadium away from a difficult domestic finish and toward a summer that may bring change off the pitch and in the dugout, in addition to within the first-team squad roster.

Just 48 hours after Manchester City’s difficult 1-1 draw at Bournemouth which officially handed the Premier League title to Mikel Arteta’s Arsenal, the club’s hierarchy has seemingly accelerated summer refresh plans.

As Pep Guardiola prepares for a final emotional league match against Aston Villa this Sunday, those within the club’s boardroom are determined to hand the expectedly incoming manager Enzo Maresca a reinforced, dynamic squad from day one.

With long-serving club icons like John Stones and Bernardo Silva set for the exit door, staff cannot afford a summer of passive transition, and by targeting Premier League-proven assets, Viana and Maresca are seemingly building a new era to compliment the work that has already gone into the team over the last 18 months.

Inside Manchester City’s 2026 summer transfer strategy

Now, according to The i Paper, Manchester City are ‘looking to strike decisively’ in the upcoming summer transfer market, with insiders believing that a deal for Nottingham Forest’s Elliot Anderson is ‘well advanced’ irrespective of uncertainty surrounding Pep Guardiola’s future.

With the England international midfielder also said to be ‘keen’ on a move, Enzo Maresca is ‘on board with the signing’ ahead of his arrival at the Etihad Stadium in the coming weeks.

As previously reported, Manchester City also want a right-back and are said to have ‘genuine interest’ in Brentford’s Michael Kayode, while in attacking areas Bournemouth’s Eli Junior Kroupi has been earmarked as a future target.

Why are Man City targeting Elliot Anderson?

The pursuit of Elliot Anderson illustrates the energetic identity Enzo Maresca intends to stamp onto an evolving Manchester City midfield, particularly in light of losing Bernardo Silva this summer.

The 23-year-old has enjoyed a stellar Nottingham Forest career to date, acting as a driving box-to-box presence and showing the type of press-resistant, multi-functional positional play that Manchester City will desperately miss upon the aforementioned Portuguese’s departure.

The fact Anderson is also reportedly ‘keen’ on the move despite intense competition signals that Manchester City’s pull power remains completely absolute, even amidst the immense managerial transition currently unfolding.