By Kazeem Ugbodaga
Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has refused to rule out the possibility of Rodri leaving the club this summer, admitting that “anything can happen” while the transfer window remains open.
Rodri, who has been linked with a return to Spain and potential moves to Real Madrid or Barcelona, is recovering from back surgery and is yet to feature for City since the procedure. Maresca, however, confirmed that the influential midfielder is ready to return to training.
Asked directly about reports of a possible transfer, Maresca offered no guarantee over the Spain international’s future.
“When the transfer window is open anything can happen,” the manager said, adding that he had seen Rodri earlier and given him “a big hug.”
The uncertainty surrounding Rodri comes at a significant moment for City, who are undergoing one of the biggest transitions of the Guardiola era. Maresca replaced Pep Guardiola after the latter’s trophy-laden spell, while several established players have already departed.
Captain Bernardo Silva has moved to Real Madrid, while Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake and John Stones have also left the club. City have so far made Elliot Anderson their major summer acquisition, signing the England midfielder from Nottingham Forest for £116 million.
Maresca acknowledged that further recruitment could be necessary, saying City may bring in one or two additional players depending on departures. However, with the Community Shield against Arsenal approaching, he insisted that his immediate attention was on preparing his squad rather than the transfer market.
The manager also declined to discuss reports linking City with Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez, maintaining that it would be inappropriate to comment on players contracted to another club.
For Maresca, the immediate challenge is considerably bigger than managing transfer speculation. He is attempting to establish his authority at a club that dominated English football under Guardiola, winning 20 trophies during the Spaniard’s 10-season tenure.
City face Arsenal in the Community Shield, and Maresca has made clear that he regards the fixture as a genuine competitive contest rather than a pre-season friendly.
“For me personally it’s a trophy,” he said, stressing that City would be trying to win their first silverware of his reign.
Beyond the immediate fixture, Maresca faces the task of closing the gap on Arsenal, who won the Premier League last season. He acknowledged Arsenal’s consistency in recent years but insisted that City remain determined to compete at the top.
The coming weeks could therefore prove decisive in shaping the new-look Manchester City. Whether Rodri remains at the heart of that project, however, remains one of the biggest unresolved questions of the summer.
