Manchester City are utlising the Premier League market to strengthen their squad for incoming manager Enzo Maresca this summer.
The post-Pep era at Manchester City is finally taking shape. After a decade of dominance under Guardiola – six Premier League titles, one Champions League and a period of sustained excellence that redefined what English football clubs could achieve – the question of what comes next has hung over the Etihad all summer.
Maresca is set to become the new man in the hotseat, with a three-year deal understood to be close to being finalised, as per the BBC.
The 46-year-old Italian arrives with a recognisable style – his possession-based, tactically intricate football made him an obvious fit for the City job, and was enough to convince the hierarchy that he was not merely a candidate, but the only candidate.
The appointment hasn’t been entirely straightforward. Chelsea, who had Maresca contracted until 2029 when he departed in January, pursued compensation reported to be well in excess of £10m – a figure City have agreed to meet, and now begins the real work.
Maresca inherits a brilliant squad but one that will need reassessing, reshaping and in places rebuilding before it truly reflects his own vision.
Man City transfer updates: Gusto, Anderson
City have begun their summer shopping close to home, already looking to raid their Premier League rivals with a move for Chelsea full-back Malo Gusto.
Chelsea will demand £75million for the France international however, and Maresca’s former club are not actively looking to sell the defender, who they are understood to consider to be a valued member of the squad.
Then there is the case of Elliot Anderson, who has been the subject of admiring glances from both sides of Manchester as Nottingham Forest hold out for the biggest number possible.
Fabrizio Romano has shared the latest on City’s pursuit on his Youtube channel, revealing a ‘here we go’ is coming soon and City are ‘all in’ on getting a deal done.
“Manchester City (are) convinced to get the deal done. City are going all in, it’s about the final details and then a here we go can happen soon.”
The 23 year-old is currently starring for England at the FIFA World Cup, and talkSPORT have revealed that campaign could determine when City’s next bid arrives.
City want to bid for Anderson before England v Panama
According to journalists Alex Crook and Ben Jacobs, writing for talkSPORT, City’s final bid to get the deal done with Nottingham Forest could be imminent.
They report an offer of £106m plus £15m in add-ons has been turned down, but the next bid ‘could take place before England’s next game’ and will breach the British transfer record set by Alexander Isak’s £125m move to Liverpool.
Anderson has started both of the Three Lions’ games out in North America so far and is expected to keep his place in the team for Saturday’s final group stage game.
Why City are fully focused on Anderson
Romano also shared an update on the future of Newcastle star Sandro Tonali, and within it lies the reason City are so determined to get Anderson done without any hitches.
“I’m not coming here mentioning Man City, I’m not coming here mentioning other clubs, since I told you Tonali to Tottenham last week, the other clubs are no longer mentioned,” he said on Thursday morning.
“Let’s follow the situation, but the deal is on (for Tottenham).”
It seems like only a matter of time before Spurs up their bid to bring the Italian to North London, so both clubs are going to get their number one choice after City settled on Anderson.
The Forest star shares a lot of traits with Tonali but showed considerably more attacking threat last season, scoring four times and providing four assists in the top flight, while the Newcastle man managed just two assists and no goals.
