Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says the club must find a “new Rodri” after the departure of the influential midfielder to Barcelona this week.
Rodri, a World Cup winner and Ballon d’Or recipient, ended a seven-year spell at the Etihad Stadium during which he helped City win four Premier League titles and the Champions League. His exit leaves a major gap in the squad Maresca inherited from Pep Guardiola, but the Italian is confident it can be filled. “Rodri, before he arrived here, he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or, he didn’t win the Champions League, he didn’t win the Club World Cup. Then he joined the club and then after he achieved many important things. Rodri’s departure is one of several notable exits from City during the close season, with Bernardo Silva, John Stones, Nathan Ake and Tijjani Reijnders also leaving the club. “It doesn’t help that there are players that for different reasons want to leave, this is for sure.
“I’ll try to find a new Rodri – it is what it is,” said Maresca. City’s only major signing so far has been midfielder Elliot Anderson, but Maresca said he expected further additions before the deadline and insisted he was unconcerned by the scale of the squad overhaul. “Hopefully we can do the things that we need to do,” Maresca said ahead of Sunday’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth.
