Maresca unfazed by Manchester City exits ahead of season-opener

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said he was comfortable with his squad despite uncertainty over several players’ futures, adding that the club was prepared for further movement before the transfer window closes.

Maresca insists he can replicate City’s success under Guardiola if he is given time to handle the ‘big changes’ at the club. Maresca takes charge of his first English Premier League (EPL) game as City boss when Bournemouth visit the Etihad Stadium on Sunday.

City host Bournemouth after a 3-0 defeat by Arsenal in last week’s Community Shield.

The departure of key midfielder Rodri to Barcelona and the expected exit of winger Savinho to Tottenham Hotspur have fuelled speculation over City’s transfer plans.

Egyptian forward Omar Marmoush has also been linked with a move away.

“When the player wants to leave, then it is complicated to convince them to stay,” Maresca told reporters on Friday.

“It happened with Rodri and the same thing is happening with Savinho. Since day one he has come in and said he wanted to leave, so now we are waiting.

“Omar is still here, still with us. He is different to Savinho, so we will see what happens.”

The Italian suggested a lack of playing time had been a factor behind several players seeking moves away from the Etihad Stadium.

“Unless Rodri, the rest all have in common one thing, they didn’t play a lot,” he said.

“When they don’t play they prefer to leave.”

With less than two weeks remaining before the transfer deadline, Maresca said City were working closely with club officials on potential additions. He declined to discuss specific targets or say how many players the club might sign.

City have been linked in media reports with Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi and Chelsea’s Argentina international Enzo Fernandez.

“I am not worried about our squad. Since day one we have been working with the club and many things can happen in the last 10 days of the transfer window,” Maresca said.

“We know exactly what we need and then we will see over the next 10 days.”

Maresca also refused to comment on Fernandez, saying he did not believe it was appropriate to discuss players under contract elsewhere.

“Enzo is a Chelsea player, and I’m not going to talk about players that are not with us,” he said.

“First of all because I think it’s a lack ⁠of respect, and second because I don’t like when different managers talk about our players.”

Matheus Nunes has returned to fitness, while the rest of the squad is available.

Doku injury blow: Maresca has suffered a blow on the eve of their Premier League season after Belgium winger Jeremy Doku was ruled out for several weeks.

Doku will miss City’s Premier League opener against Bournemouth with a calf injury and is unlikely to return for up to three weeks.

The 24-year-old suffered the problem during the first half of City’s defeat in the Community Shield last weekend.

Doku’s absence is a significant setback for former Chelsea boss Maresca as he starts his first season in charge at City after replacing Guardiola in the close-season.

“At the moment the only one out is Jeremy Doku,” Maresca told reporters on Friday.

“Unfortunately in the last game, at half-time, he was complaining about a little bit of pain in his calf.

“The idea with him was to play 45 minutes anyway, so the change was planned, but at the moment it looks like two or three weeks, no more than that.”

After hosting Bournemouth, Maresca’s side travel to Crystal Palace, then face Coventry before the derby at Manchester United.

Meanwhile, City are making another major sale in their post-Guardiola makeover after reaching an agreement with Tottenham for the transfer of Brazil winger Savinho.

The clubs have agreed to a deal for Savinho worth 85 million pounds ($115 million), making it a club-record sale for City, a person with knowledge of the transaction confirmed to The Associated Press on Friday.

The person spoke on the condition of anonymity because the details of the deal have not been made public.

Neither City nor Tottenham have made any official comment about the transfer.

Agencies