Man City enters the new season with a big problem in midfield after Rodri is facing the possibility of returning to Spain to join Barcelona.
The departure of Bernardo Silva and Tijjani Reijnders further destabilized their midfield, forcing coach Enzo Maresca to quickly find a replacement.
Elliot Anderson is one of the factors expected to become the center of attention in The Citizens' long-term plan. The 23-year-old midfielder joined Man City for a fee of 116 million pounds and just returned after the 2026 World Cup. However, Anderson is unlikely to single-handedly replace the role that Rodri or Bernardo Silva once held. Therefore, Maresca is considering the possibility of continuing to strengthen the force.
Enzo Fernandez and Ayyoub Bouaddi are in the target group pursued by Man City. Fernandez used to work with Maresca at Chelsea, capable of playing in many midfield positions, while Bouaddi is still very young and lacks experience at the highest level. If Man City recruits both, they may have to spend more than 200 million pounds, although a significant part will be compensated from player sales revenue.
This plan also depends on Rodri's future. Man City is said to be ready to let the Spanish midfielder leave if they receive a suitable fee, while Barcelona has not yet met the requirements of the English team. Rodri still has one year of contract, but the desire to return to Spain makes the possibility of leaving Etihad increasingly clear.
Maresca admits Man City is entering a transitional period when many players who played an important role in the team's success have left or are facing the possibility of leaving. The Italian coach needs to quickly build a new midfield, with Anderson as the foundation and suitable new players playing an additional role.
The biggest challenge for Maresca is to find balance after the era of coach Pep Guardiola. Rodri was once the most important tactical support in the midfield area, while Bernardo Silva brought the ability to control and create breakthroughs. Replacing each position with a player with similar qualities is almost impossible, so Man City is likely to have to change their operating style.
If Rodri officially leaves, Maresca may have to use Anderson combined with one or two new midfielders, while giving more opportunities to Mateo Kovacic and Nico Gonzalez. This will be one of the most important decisions of Man City in their first season under Maresca.
The 2026 summer transfer window still has time for Man City to complete the squad, but pressure is increasing. As old players leave one after another, Maresca not only needs to find a replacement but also build a midfield capable of maintaining the team's ambition to compete for titles.
