Manchester City will “try to find the new Rodri” after the Spain captain’s move to La Liga champions Barcelona, manager Enzo Maresca says.
Rodri left City earlier this week after seven seasons at the Etihad Stadium, during which he established himself as one of the world’s outstanding midfielders. The 30-year-old won the 2024 Ballon d’Or, four Premier League titles and scored the winning goal in the 2023 Champions League final.
He also captained Spain to World Cup success during the summer and has agreed a four-year contract at the Nou Camp. Barcelona are understood to have paid a fee in the region of £65m for the midfielder.
Asked how City would replace such an influential player, Maresca said: “How do we solve that problem?” asked Maresca. “We try to find the new Rodri; it is what it is.
“[Before] Rodri 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. He joined the club, then he achieved many important things.”
Rodri made nearly 300 appearances for City. He had entered the final year of his contract, and negotiations over an extension failed to produce an agreement despite the club making him a new offer.
Maresca pointed to City’s history of replacing major players as evidence that the club can respond to Rodri’s departure.
“I was thinking on Thursday night, when David Silva was here, everyone was worried, and Kevin [De Bruyne] arrived. When Sergio [Aguero] was here, everyone was worried [when he was going to leave] and Erling [Haaland] arrived. Fernandinho? Rodri arrived.
“When they leave, you need to be good at recruiting the next one. They are all similar, David, Kevin, Fernandinho, Rodri, Erling – there is one more – it is normal, it is change, it is not a problem, go again and try to do the right things.”
City have already begun reshaping their squad and are expected to remain active before the transfer window closes, with further arrivals and departures possible.
They have signed England international midfielder Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a club-record fee of £115m. The club are also in advanced discussions over Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, the Morocco international.
BBC Sport has been told City have not abandoned their interest in Chelsea midfielder Enzo Fernandez. They are also monitoring Bournemouth’s Alex Scott and Liverpool’s Alexis Mac Allister.
There could be movement in the opposite direction, with Tottenham having agreed a £75m fee for Brazilian winger Savinho. Spurs are also negotiating over a possible deal for his City team-mate Omar Marmoush.
Maresca said the uncertainty surrounding the final stages of the window was common across football, although some clubs preferred to complete their business earlier.
“I think it’s a feeling for most of the clubs, not all of the clubs because some clubs probably prefer to do the business at the beginning or at the end of the previous season.
“I think we are almost in the same situation as all of the clubs. There are 10 days to go; hopefully we can do the things that we need to do.
“It doesn’t help that there are players that, for different reasons, want to leave; that is for sure, but we need to adapt, and also we don’t want to keep players here who don’t want to stay, for sure.
“Probably 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. It’s normal.”
