Enzo Maresca is planning his first big move against Chelsea as Man City gears up for an unexpected £54m deal.
Manchester City is getting ready for their first season without Pep Guardiola since 2016, with Enzo Maresca stepping in to continue the great work the Spaniard started. Last season felt like a transition, as some of the club’s long-time stars left and new players came in.
Maresca aims to keep rebuilding the team and build on the success City enjoyed under Guardiola over the past decade. It looks like he has his eye on a familiar face—one of his former Chelsea players—who could be important for the club’s future.
Earlier this summer, Man City made a big splash by signing Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for £116 million. Now, it seems Pedro Neto might be next to join the Etihad Stadium. The Daily Mail says Neto is on City’s shopping list because Maresca really clicked with him when they worked together at Chelsea.
City is also interested in another player from Maresca’s Chelsea days, Malo Gusto, but the £75 million price tag is more than they want to spend right now.
While City looks to strengthen their squad, they might also face losing a key player. Real Madrid is reportedly interested in Rodri, the 2024 Ballon d’Or winner and 2026 World Cup champion.
City’s signing of Elliot Anderson was a British record at £116 million, just before Chelsea broke it by signing former City academy player Morgan Rogers for £117 million.
Pedro Neto, a Portuguese star who played in the World Cup, joined Chelsea in Maresca’s first summer as coach and had a great run under him. In that first season, Neto played 51 games, scoring nine goals and making nine assists.
Maresca left Chelsea halfway through last season, but Neto kept showing his quality and fitting well with the style Maresca wanted. Before Maresca left, Neto scored six goals and made three assists, which explains why Maresca wants him at City.
Together at Chelsea, they won two trophies: the 2025 Conference League and the new-look Club World Cup in the same year.