Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca has acknowledged the difficulty of keeping players who have already decided they want to pursue new challenges, as the FA Cup champions face a major reshaping of their squad this summer.
City have already seen John Stones, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders and Bernardo Silva leave the club, while Savinho is on the verge of joining Tottenham Hotspur in a deal worth around £75 million.
Forward Omar Marmoush has also been linked with a move away, with Spurs understood to be working on a separate deal for the Egyptian.
Speaking at his pre-match press conference ahead of Manchester City’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth on Sunday, Maresca admitted that persuading unsettled players to remain at the Etihad can become almost impossible once their minds are made up.
“When players want to leave, then it’s difficult. For any reason they want to leave, then it’s complicated to convince them to stay or to change their thoughts.”
Enzo Maresca, Manchester City manager
The Italian pointed to Rodri’s departure as an example and revealed that Savinho had communicated his desire to leave from the beginning of Maresca’s tenure. “It happened with Rodri, the same thing is happening with Savinho. Since day one he asked me if he wanted to leave,” Maresca explained.
Maresca Faces Immediate Test of City’s Transition
Maresca’s comments come as he prepares to oversee his first Premier League match at the Etihad since succeeding Pep Guardiola, bringing an end to Guardiola’s long reign in charge of City.
The former Chelsea and Leicester City manager has made it clear that while he respects the foundations established by Guardiola, he does not intend to spend his tenure attempting to replicate his predecessor.
That challenge has become more complicated with several experienced players departing and others considering their futures.
Maresca believes players can have different motivations for seeking an exit, whether they want more playing time, a return to their home country or simply a fresh environment. “Now we are waiting, but it’s complicated when the players are thinking that they need a new challenge or they want to change,” he said. “They probably want to go back to Spain or they want to play more minutes, for different reasons. So it becomes complicated to convince them to stay.”
City’s summer overhaul means Maresca will need to quickly establish his own identity while maintaining the club’s high standards following Guardiola’s departure.
Bournemouth Provide Difficult Opening
His first league assignment is against Bournemouth, a side that has already demonstrated its ability to cause City significant problems.
Bournemouth held City to a 1-all draw at the Vitality Stadium in their last Premier League meeting, a result that contributed to Arsenal eventually securing the league title after a 23-year wait.
The Cherries will therefore provide an immediate test of whether City can begin their new era strongly, particularly with the squad still undergoing significant changes.
For Maresca, the opening fixture represents more than the start of another Premier League campaign. It is the first competitive opportunity to demonstrate that City can move beyond the Guardiola era without being defined by it.
With further departures potentially on the horizon, Maresca will also have to balance respecting players’ ambitions with protecting the club’s sporting interests as he begins what could be one of the most significant transitions in City’s recent history.
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