Manchester City trio Tiijani Reijnders, Rodri and Savinho
Tiijani Reijnders, Rodri and Savinho could all depart Manchester City this summer
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There are just three weeks to go in the transfer window and Manchester City face more transfer questions than answers ahead of the new campaign.
The Blues are in Community Shield action against Arsenal this weekend and welcome back the last of their returning World Cup stars to training this week ahead of the domestic kick-off.
Record signing Elliot Anderson will be among the cohort heading back to the City Football Academy and he is the standout arrival of a summer that might only just be getting started for the Blues.
The biggest move of the window will be the increasingly likely departure of Rodri, assuming Barcelona are able to match the £60million asking price for the midfielder who wants to move to the La Liga giants.
The 30-year-old's exit would create a huge chasm at City given how dominating the Spaniard was en-route to helping his country to World Cup glory and being named the best player at the tournament.
Anderson will help fill the void but City are determined to ensure any exits are replaced with new signings. Ayyoub Bouaddi looks likely to join the Blues as they try and wrap up a deal with Lille for the £85m-rated teenager but the Morocco international's arrival would be on top of any additional signing to replace Rodri.
That also doesn't factor in the possible departure of Tijjani Reijnders with Nottingham Forest keen on a £55m move for the Dutchman. Should he depart just a year on from his arrival in Manchester then another central midfielder would be sought, taking the potential influx in that area to four in total with Anderson, Bouaddi and the Reijnders and Rodri replacements.
Reijnders was given plenty of minutes during the summer tour of Asia, as was Savinho who is another expected to leave before the window shuts. Tottenham have a longstanding interest in the Brazil international and despite the 22-year-old showing glimpses of his best form on tour and the potential to benefit from Maresca's willingness to thrust wingers to the fore in his tactical approach, a departure for around £60m is likely.
That will prompt another arrival with City linked with Pedro Neto and keen to sign another winger. Ryan McAidoo offers an option from within having shown in his appearance against Inter Milan in Hong Kong that he has the potential to be a senior option this term.
Then there is Omar Marmoush. The Egypt international scored twice in the win over Atletico Madrid on Sunday but has been linked with an exit and Maresca didn't exactly pour cold water on those rumours with his comments after the game.
Marmoush is in the unenviable position of playing second fiddle to Erling Haaland and with the Norwegian blocking his path to regular starts up front and with Jeremy Doku, Antoine Semenyo, Phil Foden and Rayan Cherki all appealing options in the remaining front positions, a departure for Marmoush could come before the September 1 deadline.
City would then be faced with the need to add a forward who knows they will be playing second fiddle to Haaland to help flesh out the attacking options.
There are also question marks over the future of Rico Lewis, another who was involved heavily in Asia and can offer an option at full back and in his preferred midfield role, but who has attracted interest from elsewhere. City could easily rake in £200m+ from that quintet and spend the same again on replacements.
The Blues are working on potential targets and remain calm in their approach but with five senior exits possible, replacements needed and a potential £85m move for Bouaddi to conclude it promises to be a chaotic 21 days.