Manchester City’s €466m rebuild: How is new era taking shape under Enzo Maresca?

We analyse how City look following the closure of the transfer window.

Manchester City penned a deal to sign midfielder Enzo Fernandez. Pic: Nick Potts/PA Wire.

Manchester City’s squad has undergone major change over the summer.

Here, we analyse how they look following the closure of the transfer window.

Significant signings:

Enzo Fernandez (Chelsea) – €146m (£125m) Elliot Anderson (Nottingham Forest) – €135m (£116m) Ayyoub Bouaddi (Lille) – €100m (£86m) Iliman Ndiaye (Everton) – €76m (£65m) Allan Elias (Palmeiras) – €40m (£34.2m) Jeremy Monga (Leicester) – €11.7m (£10m) Geronimo Rulli (Marseille) – €2m (£1.7m) City have shown their determination to rebuild for a new era by flexing some serious financial muscle, spending more than €466million (£400m) to bolster new manager Enzo Maresca’s squad. Elliot Anderson was an early statement signing and his €135m (£116m) fee was later surpassed by the €146m (£125m) splashed out on deadline day for Enzo Fernandez.

Together with Ayyoub Bouaddi, the highly rated 18-year-old captured from Lille for €100m (£86m), they form a completely new and exciting midfield. Allan Elias and Iliman Ndiaye further add to the attacking options from wide areas. The well-travelled Geronimo Rulli brings experienced goalkeeping cover.

Summer departures:

Savio (Tottenham) – €99m (£85m) Rodri (Barcelona) – €76m (£65.4m) Tijjani Reijnders (Al Qadsiah) – €59m (£51m) Nico Gonzalez (Newcastle) – €58m (£50m) James Trafford (Leeds) – €47m (£40m) Nathan Ake (Fenerbahce) – €9.9m (£8.5m) Bernardo Silva (Real Madrid) – free John Stones (Inter Milan) – free Manuel Akanji (Inter Milan) – undisclosed Omar Marmoush (Tottenham) – loan Kalvin Phillips (Sheffield Utd) – loan Jack Grealish (Everton) – loan Jeremy Monga (Swansea) – loan The turnover at City has been significant, with a number of established players leaving. 

The departures were headed by Rodri, the hugely influential midfield linchpin who returned to his best to steer Spain to World Cup glory in the summer. He leaves a sizeable hole for the new signings to fill, while the exits of Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Manuel Akanji have also removed considerable experience and much of the core of Pep Guardiola’s squad.

Tijjani Reijnders, Savio, Omar Marmoush and Nico Gonzalez have also moved on after relatively short stays, further altering the dynamic.

One to watch 

While Fernandez and Anderson are familiar to English audiences, Bouaddi is more of an unknown quantity. His fee, which makes him the most expensive teenager in Premier League history, seems extraordinary for a player so young and inexperienced but City are confident he will justify the expense. A technically gifted midfielder who shone for Morocco at the World Cup, Bouaddi has already shown remarkable maturity for his age and looks likely to be given immediate opportunities in the heart of Maresca’s midfield.

Squad strength 

The new signings add considerable depth to a squad that already boasts an array of talent. Erling Haaland, Phil Foden, Rayan Cherki, Jeremy Doku and Antoine Semenyo have all shown their match winning ability while, defensively, Marc Guehi, Ruben Dias, Abdukodir Khusanov and Josko Gvardiol are a strong unit.

The squad looks well equipped but the strength of the refresh will be judged by how well Maresca can make it all gel together. The challenge he faces in replacing Guardiola is significant and he will quickly need to impose his methods to ensure City maintain the standards they have come to expect.