Maresca uncertain over Rodri’s future at Man City

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Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said “anything can happen” amid reports La Liga champions Barcelona have bid to sign World Cup winner Rodri.

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City are understood to have rejected an opening bid of £38.5 million ($52 million) from Barcelona for the midfielder.

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The 30-year-old has just one season remaining on his deal at the Etihad and has been strongly linked with a return to his native Spain.

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City are reported to want about £68 million for Rodri, who was named player of the tournament at the recent World Cup in North America.

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Barcelona could now come back with an increased offer for Rodri, which in turn may lead to a City move for Chelsea’s Enzo Fernandez.

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Rodri was the last City player to report for pre-season training, only arriving back on Friday, having had back surgery after starring in Spain’s World Cup triumph.

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“First of all, we already said the transfer window is open, we can buy and sell players, anything can happen,” Maresca told a press conference on Friday ahead of this weekend’s Community Shield clash against Arsenal.

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“I just saw Rodri now in the building, I gave him a big hug. He looks good, so we’ll see what happens.”

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Maresca added he would not speak about players under contract at other clubs, but said City still have work to do in the final weeks of the summer transfer window.

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“For sure there are things we need to do,” he said. “Now, how many, I don’t know. It can be one, can be two, it depends also if players are going to leave.”

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Rodri joined City from Atletico Madrid in 2019. He won multiple Premier League titles and the 2023 Champions League under former boss Pep Guardiola.

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He also won Euro 2024 and that year’s Ballon d’Or before a serious knee injury sidelined him for much of the 2024/25 campaign.

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Chelsea are reported to have set a Friday deadline concerning an offer for Fernandez but Maresca, asked if that meant City would put in a bid later in the day, said: “Not today to be honest, I don’t think we’re going to do something today.”

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– Reijnders on the way out –

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City have already spent £116 million on England’s Elliot Anderson following Bernardo Silva’s exit, but fellow midfielder Tijjani Reijnders is on the verge of joining Saudi club Al Qadsiah in a deal estimated to be worth £51 million.

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Reijnders only arrived from AC Milan for £46.5 million last year, but started just half of City’s Premier League matches.

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Maresca said that it was “normal” a player would want to play more games.

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“Tijjani’s situation is like James Trafford’s situation, some more players, but I think when the club, the player, the manager, they all think the same way, that probably the best decision for a player is to go, you have to go.”

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The Community Shield pits the winners of last season’s Premier League, Arsenal, against FA Cup holders City.

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Arsenal finished seven points ahead of second-placed City as they ended their 22-year wait for a Premier League title last term and Maresca vowed his men would do all they could to close the gap to Mikel Arteta’s men this season.

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“Arsenal have shown in the last two or three or four, five years, that they are always there,” said Maresca. “It is a fantastic team from Mikel.

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“They won the Premier League, they showed how good they are in this moment. But at the same time, we are City and we’re going to try to close the gap and compete.”

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AFP

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