Enzo Maresca was frank when questioned about Manchester City’s transfer plans for the summer during the pre-season schedule.
According to the City manager, discussions are ongoing with Hugo and the club regarding several players, with activity expected across multiple areas of the squad.
Elliot Anderson’s signing has strengthened a midfield that will miss Bernardo Silva for the first time in nine years next term, but with Rodri now playing for Barcelona and City in negotiations for Lille prodigy Ayyoub Bouaddi, forecasting the starting eleven for the opening competitive fixture of the Maresca era is extremely difficult.
With significant movement anticipated at the Etihad over the coming weeks, the Manchester Evening News has assessed each deal completed by City this summer:
Incoming transfers:
Elliot Anderson (£116m from Nottingham Forest)
He has yet to feature for City after representing England at the World Cup until the tournament’s final match, but everything suggests this could prove a game-changing acquisition for the club. Some will question the fee, yet his performances for Nottingham Forest last season were impressive and he proved crucial for England during their North American campaign. Should he adapt quickly, he could help the club pursue silverware domestically and in Europe next season. 8/10
Mathys Detourbet (£21.5m from Troyes – loaned to AS Monaco)
The young winger arrived before immediately departing for Monaco on loan in what appears a solid match for the 19-year-old. City will be hoping he builds on his breakthrough campaign last term and returns to the Etihad capable of competing for a first-team place. 6/10
Pierce Charles (up to £10m from Sheffield Wednesday – loaned to QPR)
Another player who has departed immediately on loan, this time to the capital. City required additional goalkeeping options and Charles is well-known to the club after progressing through their youth system at the Etihad. 6/10
Jeremy Monga (up to £12.5m from Leicester City)
A highly gifted teenager who will be aiming to have done enough during pre-season to persuade Enzo Maresca he deserves involvement with the senior squad this summer. City won the race for his signature ahead of Arsenal and he is expected to have a significant career ahead. 7/10
Geronimo Rulli (£1.7m from Marseille)
Finding a replacement for James Trafford with a goalkeeper of comparable quality who was content to serve as understudy was always going to be challenging, with Trafford’s only reason for departing being that he was too talented for a backup role. However, in Geronimo Rulli City have secured someone familiar with the club, having spent time there in 2016/17, who brings considerable experience and came at just £1.7m. The club can be satisfied with this piece of business. 6/10
Outgoing transfers:
Rodri (£64.5m to Barcelona)
There is no way to view the departure of the world’s best midfielder as a positive. Rodri has been central to City’s achievements over the past seven years and losing him cannot be considered anything other than a significant setback. That said, the club has never prevented a player from leaving when a reasonable offer arrives, and clearly City felt that receiving £64.5m justified being without Rodri next season. It is a substantial sum but still a major loss. 5/10
Tijjani Reijnders (£52m to Al-Qadsiah)
Reijnders made considerably more appearances for City last season than some observers realised, 47 across all competitions, and 15 goal contributions is respectable. However, the Dutchman failed to meet expectations generated after his outstanding first appearance at Wolves on opening day, and £52m represented too attractive an offer to decline. 7/10
James Trafford (£40m to Leeds)
There is no question City would have retained James Trafford at the Etihad had he wished to stay, yet the straightforward reality is he wanted to leave and retaining an unhappy player would have made little sense. Given his desire to move on, many clubs would have struggled to command such a substantial fee, yet £40m represents solid business from City’s perspective. This is not to suggest Leeds overpaid, as Trafford could comfortably become England’s first-choice goalkeeper, yet he had no prospects at City and therefore £40m is a good outcome. 7/10
Manu Akanji (£13m to Inter Milan)
A transfer arranged last summer that appears the correct move at the right time for a player who consistently delivered when called upon for City and began the 2023 Champions League final. A fair fee for someone now 31 years of age. 6/10
Nathan Ake (up to £8.5m to Fenerbahce)
Similar to the Akanji situation, this is a deal that likely needed to happen for both player and club. Ake demonstrated his value last season and still has much to contribute, yet it was becoming increasingly difficult to see him receiving significant playing time at City if everyone was available. 6/10
Jahmai Simpson-Pusey (up to £6.4m to FC Koln)
He caught the eye during his loan spell in Germany last season and the Bundesliga club have moved to make the temporary arrangement permanent. Nearly two years have passed since his City debut and the 20-year-old will now be hoping to progress and establish himself in the professional game. 6/10
Reigan Heskey (up to £6.8m to FC Koln)
The Bundesliga club have clearly been monitoring City’s youth talent and this move for Heskey is an interesting one. He is clearly a capable player but whether he possessed the ability to eventually break through at the Etihad remained uncertain. Nevertheless, the fee received appears good business and it will be intriguing to observe how he fares in Germany. 6/10
Tom Galvez (£427,000 to Go Ahead Eagles)
He helped Dutch side Cambur achieve promotion last season during a successful period in which the defender featured in over 50 matches. That has secured him a move to Go Ahead Eagles and brought in a sum for a player who never appeared for City’s senior side. 6/10
Finley Burns (£200,000 to Wigan Athletic)
Having progressed through the youth ranks, Burns’ sole senior appearance for City came in the win over Wycombe in September 2021. He has been sent out on loan four times in the past four years and clearly the time had come for him to move permanently. 6/10
Isaac Smith (undisclosed fee to Barnsley)
The young defender came through City’s academy and represented England at youth level. He is a talented player but opportunities in the first-team squad are limited at the Etihad and following a productive loan spell at Oakwell last season, a permanent move to Yorkshire could allow him to thrive. 6/10
Oliver Whatmuff (Stockport County, loan)
He excelled during his loan spell at Rochdale last season when he helped them win promotion back into the Football League and now takes the step up to League One. Still just 18, he has an exciting career ahead and a move to an ambitious club in County with the manager who worked with him at Dale should stand him in good stead. 7/10
Sverre Nypan (Lommel, loan)
His switch to Middlesbrough did not work out last term and both player and City are hoping that joining a CFG club with a coach in Lee Johnson who they believe can extract the best from the young midfielder will help him progress. What he requires above all is playing time, though on paper it is a sensible loan arrangement. 6/10
Christian McFarlane (Leicester City, loan)
A first senior move for the young defender to a club harbouring ambitions of an immediate return to the Championship after a difficult campaign last term. Russell Martin places significant emphasis on passing football and possession-based play, which could play to McFarlane’s strengths. 6/10
Max Alleyne (Burnley, loan)
Alleyne caught the eye at Watford during the first half of last season before being recalled. There was a possibility he could have featured at the Etihad again this season, yet he has now completed a move to Burnley. The Clarets will expect to be competing near the top of the Championship this season and another campaign in the second tier should benefit Alleyne greatly. 7/10
Divin Mubama (Southampton, loan)
Mubama produced an impressive pre-season tour, scoring twice in his opening two matches and nearly a third against Atletico. Having earned starts ahead of Divine Mukasa in Asia, Mubama has reminded everyone of his potential and that has been sufficient for Southampton to make their move. This should prove an excellent switch for Mubama if he can find any kind of scoring form. 7/10
Kalvin Phillips (Sheffield United, loan)
How do you address an issue like Kalvin Phillips? City would certainly have preferred a permanent sale this summer, yet that was never realistic given his injury history. Phillips still has two years remaining on the contract he signed in 2022, yet the prospects of the club receiving a fee already appear slim. However, there is a greater chance of that happening if he is out on loan playing regularly, so there are grounds for cautious optimism. 6/10
Lakyle Samuel (Exeter City, loan)
Having spent time in League Two with Bromley last season, Lakyle Samuel has completed a loan move back to the fourth tier, this time with Exeter City. The 20-year-old is yet to make a senior appearance for the Blues and another season away on loan will only aid his development. 6/10