Maresca's Key Decision: Replacing Rodri at Manchester City
Enzo Maresca has barely had time to find his parking spot at the training ground, yet his first defining call as Manchester City manager may already be looming.
Rodri, the heartbeat of City's midfield and now a World Cup-winning captain and Ballon d'Or holder, is edging towards the exit door. The 30-year-old is into the final year of his contract, Barcelona have already seen a £38.5m bid thrown back, and Real Madrid are hovering. After seven seasons in Manchester, the prospect of him leaving is no longer hypothetical. It is real, and it is close.
This is not just any player to replace. This is the anchor of a Treble-winning side in 2023, the metronome who then helped Spain win the Euros a year later. An anterior cruciate ligament injury briefly broke his stride, dulled that air of inevitability he carried in midfield. But last season he flickered back into form for City before roaring to full dominance again in the summer, captaining Spain to World Cup glory.
Now his stock is at its peak. And Maresca, six weeks into the job, might be the man forced to rip out and rebuild the core of City's team.
So who can possibly step into those boots?
Azzedine Bouaddi – the teenage conductor
Age: 18
Country: Morocco
Club: Lille
City’s interest in Azzedine Bouaddi has simmered all summer. Talks have been held with the Lille midfielder, who would cost in the region of £85m, and those close to the situation say the Moroccan is keen on the move.
He is not a project for tomorrow. Bouaddi has already announced himself on the biggest stages: a starring role in Lille’s Champions League win over Real Madrid in 2024, followed by an impressive World Cup campaign with Morocco this summer. At 18, that is serious pedigree.
On the pitch, the comparison with Rodri is obvious. Bouaddi operates as a deep-lying conductor, dictating tempo from the base of midfield, taking the ball under pressure and knitting attacks together. He is not a destroyer; he is a controller. In Maresca’s possession-heavy blueprint, that matters.
He would also dovetail neatly with summer signing Elliot Anderson, who offers more of a box-to-box, surging presence. With Bernardo Silva gone, City are not just replacing Rodri’s role but also trying to patch up the creativity and leadership that have drained from midfield in one window.
Bouaddi already has 30 Ligue 1 appearances under his belt from last season. For an 18-year-old, that is a serious body of work. He plays with a calmness that belies his age, the kind of composure City demand at the base of their system.
The risk? Experience. The upside? A potential long-term successor who could grow into the role and define City’s midfield for a decade.
Enzo Fernandez – Maresca’s trusted lieutenant
Age: 25
Country: Argentina
Club: Chelsea
If Bouaddi is the future, Enzo Fernandez is the ready-made solution. City have been heavily linked with the Argentine, and within the walls of the club he is seen as Maresca’s favoured option.
There is a reason for that. Maresca knows him. He worked with Fernandez at Chelsea and even handed him the captain’s armband when Reece James was unavailable. That was a clear statement: this is not just a gifted midfielder, but a leader.
Chelsea, though, are not making it easy. They value Fernandez at £120m, a huge figure considering City have already spent £116m on Anderson. The London club have set a firm deadline of 17:00 BST on Friday for any bids, determined to end the uncertainty before the season kicks off. Publicly and privately, they insist they are ready to fully reintegrate him and still see him as a key piece of their project.
On the pitch, Fernandez offers something slightly different to Rodri. He is more adventurous with his runs into the box, more inclined to pierce lines with his passing and carry the ball into dangerous areas. Under Maresca at Chelsea, no player made more Premier League appearances. The Italian trusted him to set the tone.
The numbers from last season underline that influence: 15 goals and seven assists in 54 appearances for Chelsea, plus top marks among the candidates on this list for successful passes, passes into the box and successful passes into the final third. He drives teams forward, not just keeps them ticking.
He comes into pre-season off the back of a turbulent summer. Fernandez helped Argentina reach the World Cup final before being sent off in the defeat to Spain. Emotionally draining, physically demanding – but also another layer of big-game experience.
For Maresca, this is the most straightforward fit. He knows exactly what he would be buying. The question is whether City are willing to pay Chelsea’s price.
Alex Scott – the Premier League climber
Age: 22
Country: England
Club: Bournemouth
Alex Scott is the wildcard – but a very modern Manchester City wildcard.
The Bournemouth midfielder has emerged as a serious option, with City exploring a move for the England international. Scott has already turned down new contract offers from the Cherries, aware of growing interest from the league’s elite. His current deal runs until 2028, and Bournemouth have been clear: they want to keep him.
They have backed that stance with action. Chelsea saw a £64m bid rejected last month and were warned off making another. Arsenal have also had advances knocked back. Bournemouth are digging in.
Scott’s appeal to Maresca is easy to understand. His game is built for a possession-based side: high energy, sharp ball-carrying, and a willingness to thread passes into the box. He relishes duels, presses aggressively and has the technical quality to operate in tight spaces.
He is not a like-for-like Rodri clone. He offers more thrust, more verticality, more chaos between the lines. In a retooled City midfield, that profile could add a new dimension rather than simply trying to copy what Rodri does.
For a manager who wants his side to dominate the ball but also break lines quickly when the moment is right, Scott is a compelling option – especially as a homegrown player with room to grow.
Maresca’s first major call at City is not just about signing a midfielder. It is about choosing the identity of his midfield for the next era.
Does he bet big on Bouaddi, the teenage regista with the poise of a veteran? Does he push hard for Fernandez, the proven leader he already trusts? Or does he lean into evolution with Scott, reshaping the role rather than replicating it?
If Rodri really does walk away from Manchester this summer, the answer to that question will define how quickly Maresca’s City can become his team, not just the team he inherited.
