Enzo Maresca, the coach expected to replace Pep Guardiola on the Manchester City bench, seems to have his first million-dollar transfer ready.
The English club is preparing for the end of a historic era at the Etihad Stadium, while the leaders have immediately begun work on building the new project following the departure of the Spanish coach.
According to reports, Maresca is very close to returning to Manchester to take charge of the team, while Elliot Anderson is the first big name on the reinforcement list.
The English midfielder is said to have almost reached a personal agreement with City for a contract until 2031.
Guardiola’s departure is considered a major change for the English champions, as the Spaniard not only brought numerous trophies, but also built the club’s dominant identity in English and European football.
For this reason, City’s leaders aim for the transition to be as quick as possible and without consequences for the team’s competitive level.
Maresca is seen as the ideal profile for the continuation of the project, given that he knows the club’s environment well and shares many tactical principles with Guardiola.
However, the Italian will need players who adapt immediately to his ideas and Anderson is considered one of them.
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The Nottingham Forest midfielder has attracted attention thanks to his performances in the Premier League.
He is valued for his energy, intensity, pressing ability and dynamic movements in midfield, qualities that match the style Maresca wants to build at City.
However, the most difficult part remains the agreement between the clubs. Nottingham Forest have no intention of giving up one of the team’s most important players easily and it is reported that Anderson’s transfer fee could exceed 100 million euros.
City consider the Englishman a long-term investment and one of the pillars of the midfield for the coming years.
Meanwhile, his transfer would also be the first signal of a new era after Guardiola, showing that the club’s ambitions remain the same even after the changes on the bench.
