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Enzo Maresca can finally begin shaping the new era at Manchester City after being confirmed as Pep Guardiola’s successor on Monday.
The former Guardiola assistant arrives at the Etihad with enormous expectations and faces the task of overseeing a major squad transition as City look to return to the summit of English football after falling short over the past two seasons.
Maresca, who previously managed Chelsea, has signed a three-year contract with City. He will be joined on the coaching staff by Willy Caballero and Danny Walker.However, the Italian has already been dealt an early setback ahead of the new campaign.
According to the Daily Mail, Rodri is set to undergo surgery on an unspecified injury following Spain’s participation at the World Cup and is expected to miss the start of the Premier League season.
It is understood that Rodri’s rehabilitation will not be a lengthy process, but the timing is far from ideal given his recent fitness concerns following his ACL injury almost two years ago.
The 30-year-old midfielder is expected to undergo surgery after Spain’s World Cup campaign, with La Roja set to face Austria in the round of 32 on Thursday.
Rodri still has a contract offer on the table from the Premier League club, although talks are not believed to be active as he enters the final 12 months of his current deal.
From January 1, he will be eligible to sign a pre-contract agreement with overseas clubs ahead of a potential free transfer next summer if no renewal is agreed.
The 2024 Ballon d’Or winner has previously attracted interest from Real Madrid.Rodri joined Manchester City from Atlético Madrid in 2019 and has made almost 300 appearances for the club.
He played a key role in City’s treble-winning 2023/24 season, which helped him become only the second Spanish player to win the Ballon d’Or, after Luis Suarez in 1960.
After succeeding Alvaro Morata as Spain captain following Euro 2024 glory, Rodri has featured heavily at the 2026 World Cup, playing almost every minute so far as Spain topped their group with wins over Saudi Arabia and Uruguay.
Rodri is expected to link up with Manchester City and new head coach Enzo Maresca after the tournament, ahead of the 2026/27 Premier League season, which begins on August 21.