Enzo Maresca reveals plan to find 'new Rodri' as Man City hunt for replacements after Barcelona move

Maresca has admitted that Man City are under pressure to secure a "new Rodri" during the final stages of the summer transfer window. Following the Spain captain’s move to Barcelona last week, the Etihad hierarchy has been forced to act quickly to ensure the squad remains competitive at the highest level.

Speaking on the challenge of replacing such a vital player, Maresca remained optimistic about the club's ability to develop talent. "Now the target for us is to try to find the new Rodri," Maresca said. "How do we solve the problem? Try to find the new Rodri. Before he arrived, he didn't win the Ballon d'Or, he didn't win the Champions League, he didn't win the Club World Cup. He joined the club then he achieved many important things."

Maresca is sticking to the principles established by his predecessor, Pep Guardiola, by allowing players who no longer wish to be at the club to move on. Rodri had expressed a desire for a new challenge in La Liga, and the Italian manager was clear that keeping unhappy stars is not part of the City philosophy.

The manager pointed to the club's historic ability to regenerate its squad whenever a legendary figure departs the Etihad Stadium. "When Sergio [Aguero] was here, everyone was worried and Erling [Haaland] arrived," he added. "Fernandinho? Rodri arrived. It is just about this.

"When they leave, you need to be good in recruiting the next one. They are all similar, David [Silva], Kevin [De Bruyne], Fernandinho, Rodri, Erling. It is normal, it is change, it is not a problem, go again and try to do the right things."

Beyond finding a replacement for the holding midfield role, Maresca is focused on refining his overall squad depth. The manager confirmed he is aiming for a lean group of approximately 20 senior outfield players to navigate the upcoming season.

Maresca acknowledged that the uncertainty surrounding some players makes the daily work more difficult but expects a resolution soon. "It doesn’t help that there are players that for different reasons want to leave, that is for sure," Maresca added. "But we need to adapt. There are 10 days to go, hopefully we can do the things that we need to do."

With the clock ticking toward the deadline, City fans are bracing for a busy finish to the month. Maresca understands the dynamics of the market, noting that negotiations often drag on until the final hours as clubs look to maximise value.

The Italian tactician is prepared for the inevitable late drama that defines the final week of August. "The normal thing in the transfer window is that you have to wait until the last week, because all the clubs try to keep players until the last week and then sell for more money," Maresca concluded. "At the end, we’ll have all the squad here for sure it will be different."