Manchester City have made headlines this summer with the £125 million signing of Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea. The 25-year-old midfielder is seen as the final piece in a significant overhaul under new manager Enzo Maresca.
With the completion of this deal, City's central line has transformed into the most varied and robust sector of the squad:
- In the double pivot, Enzo Fernandez and Ayub Buaddi are vying for a starting spot.
- Competing for the second central midfield position are Elliot Anderson, Mateo Kovacic, and Tyron Samba.
- Behind the striker, elite creative options abound, with Ryan Cherki and Phil Foden offering their talents.
- The left wing is well-covered by Jeremy Doku and Iliman Ndiaye.
- On the right, Antoine Semenyo, Allan, and Jayden Bogle are all in contention.
Defensively, the squad is equally impressive:
- Goalkeepers: Gianluigi Donnarumma, Geronimo Rulli, and Marcus Bettinelli.
- Right-backs: Mateus Nunes and Rico Lewis.
- Left-backs: Nico O’Reilly, Ryan Ait-Nuri, and Josh Wilson-Esbrand.
- Central defenders (left): Josko Gvardiol, Marc Guehi, and Cadan Martin-Breithwaite.
- Central defenders (right): Ruben Dias, Abdukodir Khusanov, and Vitor Reis.
Significant summer reshuffle
This impressive depth has arisen from a massive summer sale. The club parted ways with Rodri to Barcelona, Tijjani Reijnders to a Saudi side, while Savinho and Omar Marmoush moved to Tottenham. The funds generated have been reinvested to bring in players like Anderson from Nottingham Forest, Buaddi from Lille, Ndiaye from Everton, Allan from Palmeiras, and a host of young talents, culminating in the acquisition of Enzo Fernandez.
Main issue: lack of back-up for Erling Haaland
Despite astronomical spending across almost every department, one glaring gap remains on Manchester City’s tactical board—the traditional number nine position. Erling Haaland stands as the sole pure centre-forward in the squad, with Omar Marmoush, who has since joined Tottenham, the only viable backup.
If the prolific scorer were injured, Ndiaye could drift in from the wing, Cherki might play a more advanced role, and Foden could assume the duties of a false nine. Yet, none of them are natural strikers capable of consistently carrying the championship challenge over the course of one to two months. The Citizens have reshaped their squad and addressed midfield issues following Rodri's departure, but they've left the vital attacking role without reliable cover.
