Manchester City

Emlyn Begley
BBC Sport journalist

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea set a deadline of Friday at 17:00 BST for offers for Manchester City target Enzo Fernandez, who they value at £120m.

The potential move would see the Argentina midfielder link up again with new City boss Enzo Maresca, who was formerly his manager at Chelsea.

A potential deal for Fernandez relies on City selling Rodri, officially the best player at the 2026 World Cup among numerous other accolades, to Barcelona. City are not planning to sign Fernandez if he stays.

The defensive midfielder has been a crucial part of City's success in recent years, helping them win the 2022-23 Treble - including scoring the winner in the Champions League final against Inter Milan.

The 30-year-old has played 298 times, lifting a total of four league titles, plus several cups - and winning the Ballon d'Or.

Rodri wants to return to his native Spain and join Barcelona - with Real Madrid having dropped out of the chase - and City are asking for 80m euros (£68.4m).

But Barca's opening bid for a player out of contract next summer was only £38.5m.

BBC Sport's chief football news reporter Simon Stone says the Rodri and Fernandez deals happening are dependent on each other - but do not need to go through at the same time.

If City knew Rodri was going it would enable them to make a bid for Fernandez.

And it is possible he could even sign before Rodri is ready to play again after a minor back procedure.

Maresca is clearly a huge fan of Fernandez, having made him Chelsea captain when Reece James was injured.

And he played the Argentine in 79 of his 92 games in charge.

Fernandez is by nature a defensive midfielder - but Maresca played him further forward many times last season when Cole Palmer was injured - leading to him scoring a career-best 15 goals.

That means there are several places Fernandez could fit into Maresca's City team.

Read more about a potentially pivotal day here

Millie Sian
BBC Sport journalist

Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has been speaking to the media before Sunday's Community Shield match against Arsenal at Millennium Stadium (kick-off 15:00 BST).

Here are the key lines from his news conference:

• Erling Haaland is "fine" after sitting out for the final part of the club's open training session at Etihad Stadium on Thursday. The striker is just nursing "some small things behind his heels".

• The reason for Savinho's absence was illness. The left winger's availability will rest on his ability to train with the squad on Friday afternoon.

• He rejected the idea that the Community Shield is just another pre-season friendly, explaining: "When a trophy is there for the taking, you always try to win the game. It isn't a friendly game at all, it is a trophy opportunity."

• On facing Premier League winners Arsenal: "It is a fantastic team which is well managed and well coached by Mikel Arteta. Last season shows how good they are at the moment, but we are Manchester City and we are going to try to close the gap on them."

• He wants to see "the right spirit to continue to improve" and "the right mentality to continue to win games and titles" when his players step out at Wembley Stadium.

• When asked if he expects Rodri to be at Manchester City at the end of the transfer window, having reported back for pre-season on Friday, Maresca replied: "Anything can happen. I just saw him in the building and I gave him a big hug. He is looking good. We will see what happens."

• Rodri is in the rehabilitation phase of his "recovery programme" after having minor back surgery in July.

• However, Maresca's focus isn't on "the players that might be leaving or arriving" with just two days to go until his first competitive match as Manchester City boss.

• He remained tight-lipped on the club's interest in Enzo Fernandez, despite Chelsea setting a Friday deadline for offers of £120m or more from clubs interested in the midfielder. "I don't think we're going to do something today, to be honest..." he offered.

• On whether he has tried to convince Tijjani Reijnders to stay at Etihad Stadium: "It is a bit difficult to convince players when they are already convinced in their minds. Sometimes the club, the player and the manager all think it is the right decision to let a player go."

• The future of centre-back Vitor Reis, who spent last season on loan at Girona, is still unclear, though.

Hit play above to hear more from Maresca or listen on BBC Sounds

Listen to BBC Radio 5 Live commentary of Arsenal v Man City from 15:00 on BBC Sounds

Got a question about Man City? Get in touch here and we'll seek answers from our experts

Manchester City have rejected a £55m bid from Barcelona for Rodri, with the Premier League club wanting more than £60m for the midfielder as talks between the two clubs continue. (Sky Sports), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Friday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Image source, Getty Images

On Sunday, the first piece of silverware of the season will be contested for in Cardiff as Premier League champions Arsenal face FA Cup winners Manchester City in the Community Shield.

The omens look good for Arsenal. Only Manchester United (21) have won the Community Shield more often than they have (17, including shared), with the Gunners winning each of their past five.

Arsenal have also won all three matches when competing as reigning Premier League champions (1998, 2002, 2004).

Manchester City did win their last appearance in the Community Shield, beating rivals Manchester United on penalties in 2024. However, they have been runners-up in the match nine times, with only United doing so more (10).

Arsenal have won all three of their Community Shield matches against City, beating them 4-0 in 1934, 3-0 in 2014 and, most recently, 4-1 on penalties after a 1-1 draw in 2023.

However, Enzo Maresca, who will become to the first City boss to compete in the Community Shield in his first competitive match in charge, can draw some hope in the fact that in the past 10 occasions the game has been between the league champions and the FA Cup winners, the FA Cup holders have won eight times.

The two teams will compete at Millennium Stadium - a ground where Arsenal played more games than any other team during the period it was first used between 2001 and 2007 (10) and won four Community Shields in that time.

In contrast, this is just City's second ever match at the Welsh stadium, with the other coming in a Uefa Cup qualifying match against TNS in August 2003 (a 2-0 win).

Mikel Arteta won both of his Community Shield matches as a player (2014, 2015), and has won both so far as a manager (2020, 2023), while it is Maresca's first taste of the season curtain-raiser.

Manchester City's record signing Elliot Anderson says he is "feeling comfortable" after his big move from Nottingham Forest.

"I'm over the moon. First day of training today, the lads have welcomed me really well and training went well so just getting to grips with everything," he told BBC Radio Manchester.

He added he was looking forward to working with new manager Enzo Maresca "a lot" and "you can see the detail he goes in to."

On potentially making his debut against Arsenal in the Community Shield in Cardiff on Sunday, he said: "The chance to win a trophy in your first week is quite good so hopefully I can get some minutes there and show what I can do. I'm feeling comfortable.

"It will be a difficult game, obviously they are champions from last season, so it will be tough but every game is going to be tough this season. We will just put our style on them and try and win the game."

Anderson insisted he tries "not to focus" on his club record £116m fee and is "sure over the next season I can show people what I do best."

The England midfielder also revealed he will take the number five shirt because previous owner John Stones was really good to him in the summer and he thought it would be a "great touch."

On being recognised more than before, Anderson said: "It's been a little bit different, but I am enjoying it, taking it all in my stride and just feeling confident and happy to be here and I'm looking forward to the season."

Listen to the full chat below by pressing play above or here on BBC Sounds

You can also hear more from the midfielder below

Image source, Getty Images

Manchester City winger Jeremy Doku says it is "a fantastic feeling" to sign a contract extension that will keep him at the club until the summer of 2031.

Doku, who joined from Stade Rennais in 2023, has made 131 appearances for City, scoring 22 times.

The 24-year-old is now "excited" to start the 2026-27 season under manager Enzo Maresca and add to the five major trophies he's already won with the club.

"I have loved my time at City so far, so to have the opportunity to stay for longer is a fantastic feeling," Doku said. "This club means so much to me – I have developed as both a player and a person.

"I feel settled here, and I know I am improving every day because of the work the staff here do.

"It's hard to explain just how much this club does to help players. I don't take it for granted and it makes me better.

"With Enzo here now I am really excited about the new season. His style of football is the kind we love, so that's exciting for the players.

"The City fans are also a huge reason I have signed this new contract. I feel their love and support, and it means the world to me. I want to focus of bringing them the success they deserve."

It is common practice these days for transfer fees to have performance-based add-ons. The theory is the selling club gains more if the player goes on to be extremely successful, while the buying club is to some extent protected financially if the transfer doesn't work out.

In some cases, the total value of add-ons is significant - Real Madrid could end up paying an extra £30m to Borussia Dortmund for Jude Bellingham depending on how successful he is over the course of his career in the Spanish capital, for example.

In others, like the potential £1.7m worth of add-ons Brighton's £29.78m signing of Greece Under-21 forward Charalampos Kostoulas, are less significant.

Clubs sometimes say add-ons are 'easily achievable' or 'difficult'.

Easier-to-achieve add-ons can include things like making a basic number of appearances, or scoring a certain amount of goals. Add-ons can also be attached to a team's success rather than the individual player's - a club may agree to an add-on requiring an extra payment if they qualify for Europe, for example.

Others can be more ambitious - tied to extreme levels of individual or collective success, like winning the Champions League or the Ballon d'Or.

An example of the difficulty add-ons can present when discussing valuations would be the claims made in the Portuguese media in 2022 that the first additional payment in Darwin Nunez's £64m-plus-add-ons move from Benfica to Liverpool was triggered by the Uruguayan making just 10 appearances.

Then Liverpool boss Arne Slot rejected speculation he had not started Nunez in some games because it would trigger an additional payment.

Whether Liverpool paid more for Nunez, or club captain Virgil van Dijk - for whom they paid a flat fee of £75m to Southampton in 2017 - cannot be determined without knowing exactly what add-ons were included in the Nunez deal, then figuring out which conditions he has and has not met.

Send our reporters a questions via Ask Me Anything

Nizaar Kinsella
Chelsea reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Chelsea winger Pedro Neto has attracted interest from four Premier League clubs, with one believed to be Manchester City.

The 26-year-old Portugal international is not regarded as one of the 'untouchable' players at Stamford Bridge and could therefore move before the transfer deadline.

However, Chelsea insist they would demand a significant fee for the attacker, who joined from Wolves for £54m in 2024.

The club believe the market for wide forwards has been inflated by a lack of options for leading clubs, highlighted by the £117m fee paid for Morgan Rogers and Paris St-Germain's £145m valuation of Bradley Barcola.

Those figures have influenced Chelsea's valuation of Neto, who is known to be of interest to Manchester City where he would be reunited with former Blues boss Enzo Maresca.

Maresca and Neto are understood to have a strong relationship, and the winger is among those reported to have been frustrated by the Italian's departure midway through last season.

New manager Xabi Alonso has not commented on Neto's future, but he has played the winger in pre-season friendlies, including the 3-0 win over AC Milan on Saturday.

Image source, Getty Images

Goalkeeper Geronimo Rulli says joining Manchester City was an opportunity he "had to grasp" after his move to the club was confirmed, subject to international clearance.

BBC Sport understands City have paid £1.7m to bring in the 34-year-old Argentinian keeper from Marseille for his second spell at the club, after spending the 2016-17 season at Etihad Stadium without making a first team appearance.

Rulli has signed a two-year deal with Enzo Maresca's side and is expected to be back-up for first choice shot-stopper Gianluigi Donnarumma.

Speaking to the club website website, Rulli said: "This is an amazing opportunity for me and one I had to grasp.

"When the chance to join Manchester City comes along you have to go for it.

"Everyone knows what an impressive club this is. City's success over a long time has been impressive. Everyone I have spoken to about City said I had to join them because they are a club with incredibly high standards.

"Every professional wants to be in a high-performance environment and I can't wait to get started because I know I will improve and learn, which is always my main priority.

"My job now is to train hard, get to know the players and staff and do everything I can to reach my best level."

Barcelona are hopeful of signing Manchester City and Spain midfielder Rodri, 30, by lodging a second bid worth £51.3m. (Times), external

Want more transfer stories? Read Wednesday's full gossip column

Follow the gossip column on BBC Sport

Shamoon Hafez
Manchester City reporter

Image source, Getty Images

Enzo Maresca said he has not done an initiation song in front of the squad as "the manager doesn't sing", but he described goalkeeping coach Michele de Bernardin's performance as "very good".

Analyst Javi Molina's rendition of Frank Sinatra's 'My Way' was "the worst". In fact, "it was a disaster".

The make-up of the backroom staff - with Argentine Willy Caballero, two Italians, three Spaniards and French-speaking Maresca - means they have plenty of languages covered.

And then there is first-team coach Danny Walker, who was Maresca's assistant in Manchester City's elite development squad (EDS) and followed him to Leicester City and Chelsea.

The manager beams when he discusses "the Englishman". He says: "We go for breakfast, it is beans on toast. We go for dinner, it is a beer.

"When I joined the EDS, Danny was there. He was previously with the under-16s and they moved him to become my assistant. Since then, we are always together.

"He is very good. He is good at adding on extra work at the end, making sure we keep asking the players to do something extra."

Speaking of Englishmen, Maresca will choose City's next captain himself after Bernardo Silva's departure - and he wants a homegrown player in the committee.

The leadership group currently consists of frontrunner Ruben Dias, Erling Haaland and Rodri, who has been the subject of a failed bid from Barcelona.

So is the Norway star a leading candidate to take the armband?

"He was one of the first to message me when I joined the club," said Maresca. "At Leicester and Chelsea, I had a rule that when we scored the captain had to come to the bench for instructions and not celebrate. But if they score, they can celebrate.

"If Erling is captain, we have a problem. Can you imagine?"

Read the full article here