Enzo Maresca has challenged Manchester City to sign the next Rodri as they look to write the next chapter of success. The Italian's task following Pep Guardiola has been made harder by losing his star midfielder to Barcelona this summer, but he does not think it should be a problem for the Blues.
City have already broken their club record this summer by signing Elliot Anderson for £116m from Nottingham Forest and could be pushed to more than £80m for Lille teenager Ayyoub Bouaddi. Both are seen as having some of the qualities needed to replace Rodri, although the Ballon d'Or winner was so good for so long because he could seemingly do the work of two players.
Replacing a Ballon d'Or winner
That makes it difficult for anyone trying to replace him, but that is what City must do after agreeing a £65.4m sale to Barcelona. Maresca pointed out ahead of the start of the Premier League that Rodri only grew into the player that he is today during his time at City and that the club have had success in replacing many great players before, suggesting that the right recruitment and coaching can see them through it.
"I'll try to find a new Rodri. It is what it is," he said. "Rodri, when he 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, then he joined the club and then after he achieved many important things.
A familiar cycle of change
"Now the target for us is to try to find the new Rodri. I was thinking last night when David Silva was here, everyone was worried. Kevin (De Bruyne) arrived. When (Sergio) Agüero was here, everyone was worried. Erling (Haaland) arrived. When Ferdinando leaves. Rodri arrived. It's just about this."
"When they leave, you need to be good and recruit the next one. But they are all similar. David, Kevin, Fernandinho, Rodri, Agüero, Erling. It's just normal, it's a change. It's not a problem, just go again and try to do the right things."
