Manchester City
Maresca’s Manchester City: a projected XI and tactical outline
Maresca faces Guardiola’s successor challenge at Man City, adjusting tactics around a changing squad
Pep Guardiola’s decade at Manchester City has ended and Enzo Maresca steps into a complex job. Emulation of Guardiola is borderline impossible and the squad Maresca inherits lacks many of the previous stalwarts. Subtle changes will be necessary if City are to avoid a dip in 2026–27.
Maresca favours a 4-3-3 base but in possession his teams often shift into a 3-2-2-3 to create a box midfield. Wingers keep width while one fullback joins the midfield pivot and the other inverts to form a back three. At Chelsea Maresca allowed Enzo Fernández to operate between the lines and arrive in the box. His sides used strict positional play in possession, though he later adopted a more direct and vertical approach with a different squad. Out of possession his teams do not press strictly man-to-man but work with high intensity and aim to trap opponents wide.
A realistic Maresca XI based on the current squad:
GK: Gianluigi Donnarumma — City’s purchase of Donnarumma signalled Guardiola’s tactical shift, and even though the Italian wasn’t exactly outstanding in his debut campaign, Maresca will likely retain the supreme shot-stopper as his No. 1.
RB: Tino Livramento — Matheus Nunes improved at right back, but the Portuguese midfielder remains the weak link in City’s defence. Livramento would offer athleticism Maresca values.
CB: Abdukodir Khusanov — After a difficult start to his Premier League career Khusanov has settled. He is an excellent recovery defender and has the physical tools to improve as a passer.
CB: Joško Gvardiol — With John Stones gone there will be competition at centre back. Marc Guéhi arrived in January, but Gvardiol remains a level above for the left-sided role.
LB: Nico O’Reilly — O’Reilly developed as a midfielder and could suit an inverted role where his attacking instincts show.
CM: Rodri — Stalwarts are leaving and there is no guarantee Rodri will remain beyond the summer. If he stays he will aim to recover from a difficult 2025–26 season and return closer to his Ballon d’Or-winning best.
CM: Elliot Anderson — Anderson could provide the box-crashing presence City seek and is considered more reliable defensively.
RW: Antoine Semenyo — Semenyo’s output can vary, but his goal threat and versatility were clear in his time at Bournemouth and in Manchester.
AM: Rayan Cherki — Cherki is a rare creative talent and would test any manager’s balance between structure and freedom.
LW: Antoine Semenyo could be deployed in multiple attacking roles if required, giving Maresca options across the front line.
This XI and shape aim to reflect Maresca’s known principles and the specific traits of the current squad, recognising that transfer activity and injuries will influence the final picture.
Barcelona
Rodri Attracts Interest From Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain as Future Remains Open
Rodri is drawing interest from Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain while Real Madrid remain in the frame.
Rodri’s future has become a major talking point after Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain were both linked with the Manchester City midfielder in a new report.
The Spain international’s standing has only grown since the summer, when he said: “We’ll see after the World Cup.” He then backed that up with a Golden Ball-winning role as captain of Spain in North America, further strengthening his reputation as one of the game’s leading midfield controllers.
Manchester City are still keen to keep him and have an extension offer in place. Even so, Rodri is believed to be considering his options and may be waiting for a “dream” move to Real Madrid. The Spanish giants have been looking for a successor to Toni Kroos, but their interest in the Madrid-born midfielder has taken time to develop.
Earlier this week, it was reported that Real Madrid had finally decided to explore a move. Now, according to RMC Sport, they could be forced into a wider fight for his signature.
The same report states that Paris Saint-Germain “have made initial contact” over a possible transfer. A deal for the former Atlético Madrid midfielder was not previously regarded as a priority, but is now viewed as an “opportunity” in the market.
Barcelona have also “entered the race,” with the La Liga champions said to have contacted Rodri’s representatives after Frenkie de Jong returned from the World Cup with torn knee ligaments.
City, for their part, want to keep the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner for as long as possible. RMC even claims they would prefer to lose Rodri on a free transfer in a year’s time rather than sell him this summer.
No formal club-to-club offer has been made yet, but the midfielder’s position is clear: the decision now sits with him. If he tells City he wants to leave, the club are unlikely to block him given his age, contract situation and years of service.
Manchester City
City weigh Maresca-linked names as transfer planning sharpens
City are assessing Maresca-linked options as they look for depth, balance and attacking cover in 2026/27.
Manchester City are confronting their toughest spell in a decade after the departures of Pep Guardiola, Bernardo Silva and John Stones since the end of last season. Rodri could still leave as Real Madrid begin to reciprocate his feelings of attraction.
City had already acted before that possibility gathered pace, signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest in a club-record move. The transfer briefly made him the most expensive Englishman of all time, even if the original plan was likely to use him alongside Rodri.
That leaves City looking for specific fixes and greater depth rather than a full rebuild. A winger is one area under consideration, and the Daily Mail reports that Chelsea’s Pedro Neto is among the names being explored, with Yan Diomande and Ibrahim Mbaye also mentioned.
Neto would also reconnect him with Maresca, under whom he made 77 appearances, contributed 27 goals and assists, and was the manager’s seventh most-used player in 2024-25. City’s interest is not tied only to Maresca’s move back to the Etihad Stadium either, since they had been linked with Neto and several other clubs in 2024 before he signed with Chelsea.
That naturally raises the question of which other players Maresca knew at Stamford Bridge might now enter the discussion. Malo Gusto looks the clearest practical fit, given the lack of depth at right back. Matheus Nunes remains the first choice there despite being a midfielder by trade, while Rico Lewis spent much of last season either out of favour or not healthy. The issue is the reported £75 million ($100 million) valuation.
City are stronger elsewhere in defence. Marc Guéhi has already been signed to effectively replace Stones in advance, while Vitor Reis is back after a formative loan at Girona. Maresca also has three left-back options in Nico O’Reilly, Rayan Aït-Nouri and Joško Gvardiol.
In midfield, Enzo Fernández had been a player of interest, but Moisés Caicedo may be the better fit to replace Rodri, although he would be close to impossible to sign. Cole Palmer remains another persistent topic, with speculation that he is homesick in London and longs to return to Manchester refusing to go away. Maresca never saw the same explosive breakout star Mauricio Pochettino worked with in 2023-24, but the talent is still there.
City recently gave Phil Foden a new contract, yet there is room for another fluid attacker as they prepare to stay active in four competitions well into 2027. If Palmer returned and rotated with Foden and Rayan Cherki, City would look formidable again.
Arsenal
Premier League clubs step up 2026/27 preseason with fixtures spread across the world
Premier League clubs are spread across Europe, Asia and the US in a busy 2026/27 preseason.
With the World Cup having only recently concluded, Premier League clubs are already deep into their 2026/27 preseason programmes. The calendar is tight, the travel is heavy and the purpose is clear: get players ready, test combinations and give new faces a chance to make an early impression.
Arsenal, the reigning champions, are among the later starters. Their first friendly comes on Aug. 1 against Girona in Catalonia, before further meetings with Real Betis, Borussia Dortmund and Como. They will then face Manchester City in the Community Shield at the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Aston Villa have already opened with a 5-0 win over Walsall and continue across Europe and Asia, while Bournemouth began with a 4-1 victory against St. Pauli. Brentford and Brighton & Hove Albion both have short schedules remaining, with each taking on European opposition in mid-August.
Chelsea’s first run under new manager Xabi Alonso takes them to Australia for matches against Western Sydney Wanderers and Tottenham Hotspur, before trips through Hong Kong, Jakarta and Malaysia. Their final friendly is against Real Sociedad at Stamford Bridge.
Elsewhere, Everton have mixed early results and face a demanding route through Scotland, Germany and home soil before meeting Lille. Fulham also have work to do after a behind-closed-doors defeat to Norwich City. Hull City, Ipswich Town and Coventry City all have their own preparations mapped out, while Crystal Palace have already played twice and continue with fixtures in Italy and Germany.
Liverpool’s schedule includes a United States tour against Sunderland, Wrexham and Leeds United, followed by Monaco and two games against Como on Aug. 16. Manchester City are taking a lighter approach, starting with Inter in Hong Kong before facing the K-League All-Stars, Atlético Madrid and Arsenal. Manchester United, meanwhile, have already lost to Wrexham and beaten Rosenborg 5-0, with Atlético Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, Leeds United and Milan still to come.
Newcastle United, Nottingham Forest, Sunderland and Tottenham Hotspur also remain busy, with each club using these final weeks to sharpen up before the league begins.
Rodri Attracts Interest From Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain as Future Remains Open
Six Liverpool youngsters who could force their way into 2026-27 plans
