Manchester City were able to spend in excess of £450m during the summer transfer window as Enzo Maresca strengthened his squad with nine players
Enzo Fernandez
Manchester City have signed Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea(Image: Getty Images)
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Manchester City ended the summer transfer window as the Premier League's biggest spenders. Enzo Maresca's side splashed a whopping £458million in total – £109m more than any other club.
Nine players were signed, including a double deadline day swoop for Everton's Iliman Ndiaye and Chelsea's Enzo Fernandez.
But City were able to bring in £288m from players sold, giving them a net spend of £170m and giving Maresca the chance to splash the cash. Savio was sold to Tottenham for £75m plus add-ons, while Tijani Reijnders, Rodri, Nico Gonzalez and James Trafford all left for sizeable transfer fees.
After struggling in his first season at the Etihad Stadium, Reijnders was allowed to depart in a £52m deal to Al-Qadsiah. Rodri, meanwhile, made it clear he wanted to leave City and has since joined Barcelona for £65m, and Nico Gonzalez has moved to Newcastle for £52m.
James Trafford signed for Leeds for £40m plus add-on, while Manuel Akanji (£13m), Nathan Ake (£8.5m), Issa Kabore (£2m) were the others to depart City for a fee.
Getting those off the books has allowed Maresca to strengthen his squad with world-class – or with the potential to be that – players in the summer and it has given them a huge chance of challenging for the Premier League title.
With Rodri, Nico, Reijnders and Bernando Silva - who left for free at the end of his contract - all leaving City, bolstering the midfield was a must. And now the transfer window is shut, it does feel as though City have done an excellent job in making that area better with Elliot Anderson, Ayyoub Bouaddi and Fernandez signing.
Elliot Anderson in action
Elliot Anderson in action for Manchester City
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Anderson was a £116m arrival from Nottingham Forest earlier in the summer, while Bouaddi's £81.3m plus add-ons move was confirmed last week.
Fernandez then joined on deadline day for a club record £125m. All three are going to improve City and give them a fighting shot of competing at the top end of the Premier League table.
As well as Anderson, Bouaddi and Fernandez, City signed six more players to strengthen the squad. Ndiaye moved from Everton in a £60m plus add-ons transfer on deadline day, while Allan (£34m), Mathys Detourbet (£21.5m), Jeremy Monga (£12.5m), Pierce Charles (£3m) and Geronimo Rulli (£1.7m) also joined City this summer.
From the outside, it may seem that City have just splashed the cash on a number of expensive players and won't face consequences. But that isn't the case with more than £250m recouped and several high earners off the wage bill, with Jack Grealish (loan), John Stones (free) and Omar Marmoush (loan) among the others to leave.
City have made an impressive start to the Premier League season, winning each of their first two matches against Bournemouth on the opening weekend and then Crystal Palace last Friday. They sit top of the Premier League table and are one of four sides to have picked up six points from a possible six.
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