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Maresca vows Man City transfer activity after Community Shield defeat

ReutersReuters•17 Aug 2026, 06:31
Maresca vows Man City transfer activity after Community Shield defeat

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca says the club will continue strengthening the squad before the transfer window closes after a 3-0 Community Shield final defeat by Arsenal.

Manchester City manager Enzo Maresca said the club would remain active in the transfer market before the ​window closes after his side suffered a 3-0 defeat ‌in his first competitive outing against Arsenal in Sunday's Community Shield.

With Spain's World Cup-winning midfielder Rodri reportedly set to leave, City have ​already spent a club-record 116 million pounds ($156.95 million) ​on Elliot Anderson.

The club is reportedly also close ⁠to signing 18-year-old Moroccan Ayyoub Bouaddi from French club ​Lille in a deal that could be worth 85 million ​pounds.

"We knew already before the game the things that we need to do. It's not because we lost the game or if ​we win the game we were thinking differently," Maresca ​told reporters.

"We are quite clear what we need to do and ‌for ⁠sure we are going to do something before the window closes."

Asked about Bouaddi, who was impressive at this year's World Cup, Maresca stopped short of discussing the player directly ​but indicated ​City were ⁠keen to complete any incoming deals quickly.

"He's still a Lille player. But any new signing, ​any new player, for sure as soon ​as ⁠they arrive it's better," Maresca said.

"If they start to work with us as soon as possible, it's better if they ⁠can ​also understand the way we need ​to play."

City will start their Premier League campaign at home to Bournemouth ​next Sunday.