Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca does not expect the club to complete any transfer business on Friday, amid reports of a Chelsea deadline for midfielder Enzo Fernandez. The West London club are believed to have set a 5pm deadline on Friday, August 14, for any sale, but Maresca smiled as he suggested City would not be complying with that.
Fernandez interest and transfer hurdles
Fernandez is of interest to City despite vehement denials from the club earlier this summer, but there are significant hurdles to overcome. A £120m fee would shatter the club's transfer record for the second time in a summer, and Chelsea have their own conditions that must be met for a sale.
Rodri return and Barcelona interest
City still need to find a replacement for Rodri, despite the Spain midfielder returning to the Etihad on Friday. Barcelona are keen to sign Rodri but have not been keen enough to make either of their two offers come close to City's valuation of the player. Maresca welcomed Rodri back into the building on Friday and will speak to him more as the midfielder continues his rehabilitation after back surgery following the World Cup.
Maresca's focus on Community Shield
Maresca also has the Community Shield to plan for on Sunday. "I don't think we're going to do something today," he said with a smile. "The transfer window is open. We can buy players, we can sell players, anything can happen. I just saw Rodri and gave him a big hug. He looks good so let's see what happens."
"We will see what has happened. Bernardo left, we will see what happens with the rest. Bernardo, John, Ake already and some more players but there is a change in this moment and in the moment that the window is closed we need to be good enough to find solutions as soon as possible for the players and the team. We are in the moment where players that were here for years already left or can leave and that means there is a change. We are going to try to do our best."
"For sure there are things that we need to do. How many, I don't know. It can be one, can be two, depends on if players want to leave. Now in this moment I think 48 hours before a final, - my first final in this club - I will try to win the first trophy so my focus on this moment is not about players who can leave or arrive. The focus for me personally is how we can prepare for the game in the best possible way."
