Enzo Maresca has made a major admission about Manchester City’s transfer plans, with the new manager acknowledging that the club urgently need to find a new Rodri.
The former Manchester City midfielder remains one of the most difficult players in world football to replace. His departure has left a significant hole in the heart of City’s midfield, and Maresca has now made clear that finding a solution is one of the club’s biggest priorities.
“How do we solve that problem?” asked Maresca. “We try to find the new Rodri, it is what it is.
“[Before] Rodri arrived here, he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or, he didn’t win the Champions League, he didn’t win the Club World Cup. He joined the club then he achieved many important things.”
With the transfer window moving towards its final stages, the pressure is increasing on Manchester City’s recruitment team to find the right player.
For Maresca, the problem is not simply about signing another midfielder.
It is about finding someone capable of providing the control, defensive intelligence and composure that Rodri brought to the team for years.
Maresca knows the scale of City’s problem
Replacing Rodri was always going to be one of the most difficult tasks facing Manchester City after Maresca replaced Pep Guardiola in June 2026.
Rodri became one of the most important players in the club’s modern history. His ability to dictate the tempo, protect the defence and dominate midfield battles made him fundamental to Guardiola’s system.
Now, Maresca has inherited a team without that security.
The new manager has already acknowledged the situation rather than attempting to hide it.
Manchester City need a new Rodri.
That does not necessarily mean finding a player who copies the Spaniard’s exact style. Instead, the club needs a midfielder who can give Maresca a reliable presence at the base of his midfield.
That need has become increasingly obvious as the summer transfer window approaches its conclusion.
Rodri’s influence was about more than passing
One reason the search for a replacement is so complicated is that Rodri offered much more than technical quality.
His passing allowed City to control games.
His positioning prevented opponents from launching dangerous counter-attacks.
His physical presence helped City win second balls.
His tactical intelligence allowed him to know when to push forward and when to remain behind the attack.
Perhaps most importantly, Rodri gave his teammates confidence.
When City lost possession, there was often a midfielder behind the ball capable of stopping the opposition’s transition.
That safety net will now have to be recreated.
Maresca’s football also places considerable importance on positional structure, making the defensive midfielder particularly important.
The new Manchester City manager cannot simply put any technically gifted midfielder into the position and expect the same results.
The player must understand space.
He must be comfortable receiving the ball under pressure.
He must also be able to protect the centre-backs when City commit numbers forward.
Manchester City’s midfield situation is changing
The midfield has undergone significant changes during the summer.
Several players who were important during the previous era have either departed or seen their roles change.
That has created an increasingly urgent situation for Maresca.
Mateo Kovacic can provide experience and technical quality, but expecting him to become a direct replacement for Rodri would be unrealistic.
Nico O’Reilly has emerged as an exciting young option and could have a significant role under Maresca.
Elliot Anderson also offers physicality and energy.
However, City’s current midfield options do not provide an obvious one-for-one replacement for the player they lost.
That is why the search for a new Rodri has become such an important storyline.
The deadline is getting closer
The timing is also significant.
Manchester City cannot spend the entire summer searching for the perfect player.
The transfer deadline is approaching, and the longer the club waits, the more difficult negotiations could become.
Selling clubs know City have a need.
That can increase asking prices and make negotiations considerably more complicated.
At the same time, City must avoid panic buying.
Signing a player simply because the deadline is approaching could create another problem if that player does not fit Maresca’s tactical plans.
This is the balance the club’s recruitment department must now find.
They need to move quickly, but they cannot afford to abandon their usual transfer strategy.
Fans want action
The situation is likely to create considerable debate among Manchester City supporters.
Some fans will argue that the club should have identified Rodri’s successor much earlier.
Others will point out that replacing a player of his quality was never going to be straightforward.
There is also a wider question about whether Manchester City should even attempt to find a direct replacement.
Football has changed.
Maresca may decide that the answer is not another Rodri but a different midfield structure involving several players.
Instead of asking one midfielder to perform every role, City could distribute those responsibilities among two or three players.
That could allow the team to remain competitive without forcing one player to carry the enormous expectations attached to Rodri’s name.
Maresca has inherited a huge challenge
Taking over from Guardiola was already going to be an enormous challenge.
Now Maresca must rebuild the midfield while establishing his own tactical identity.
The Italian has experience working within possession-based football, but Manchester City represents a completely different level of expectation.
Every tactical decision will be scrutinised.
Every transfer will be analysed.
And every poor performance will inevitably lead to comparisons with Guardiola.
The Rodri situation therefore represents more than a recruitment problem.
It is one of the first major tests of Maresca’s tenure.
If City find the right midfielder, the manager could have the foundation required to build his team.
If they fail to address the position, the problem could become increasingly difficult during the season.
Why finding a new Rodri matters so much
The importance of the defensive midfield position becomes particularly clear when looking at how Manchester City want to play.
Maresca is expected to demand possession and territorial control.
That means City will often have several players positioned ahead of the ball.
When that happens, someone must remain behind the attack.
That player needs to read danger before it develops.
A poor decision in that position can expose the entire team.
Rodri was exceptional at preventing those situations.
He could slow down an opposition attack before it became dangerous, while his passing could immediately turn defensive possession into an attacking opportunity.
Finding another player capable of doing that would significantly improve City’s chances of challenging for major trophies.
City cannot afford another midfield problem
The club’s ambitions have not changed simply because Guardiola has left.
Manchester City still expect to challenge for the Premier League title and compete deep into European competition.
Maresca therefore needs a squad capable of handling a demanding schedule.
A weakness in midfield could quickly become exposed over an entire season.
Injuries, suspensions and fixture congestion will make squad depth essential.
That makes the recruitment of a defensive midfielder even more important.
City need someone who can start regularly but also adapt if Maresca changes his formation.
Versatility could ultimately be just as important as pure defensive ability.
The search could define the summer
There is now a sense that Manchester City’s summer transfer window could be defined by what happens in midfield.
The club have already made changes across the squad, but replacing Rodri remains the most obvious unresolved issue.
Maresca’s admission only reinforces that point.
The manager knows what his team needs.
Now the recruitment department has to deliver.
The coming days could therefore be crucial.
City must decide whether to pursue one of their existing targets aggressively, explore alternatives or trust the players already in the squad.
Whichever route they choose, the decision will have major consequences.
A new era needs a new solution
Manchester City are entering a completely different era.
Guardiola’s extraordinary reign has ended, and Maresca is now responsible for creating the next version of the team.
Finding a new Rodri will not be easy.
There may never be another midfielder who provides exactly the same combination of intelligence, technique, physicality and leadership.
But City do not necessarily need another Rodri.
They need a solution.
Maresca’s admission shows that the manager understands the urgency. With the transfer deadline approaching, Manchester City must now decide how aggressively they are prepared to act.
The club have spent years building one of Europe’s strongest squads.
The next major challenge is ensuring the midfield does not become the weakness that prevents Maresca’s team from competing at the highest level.
The search for a new Rodri has officially become one of the defining stories of Manchester City’s summer.
