Manchester City just dropped a mind-boggling £458 million this summer window, absolutely shattering the Premier League record for spending in one go. That massive haul completes their squad overhaul, including a midfield that’s been totally revamped. New boss Enzo Maresca, who stepped in for Pep Guardiola, got the full backing from director of football Hugo Viana, and they went all-in on bringing in new talent.
City Just Blew the Bank on a Brand New Midfield
This summer was wild for City’s wallet, with their record transfer fee getting broken not once, but twice. They splashed a joint-British record £125 million on Enzo Fernandez, who used to be Maresca’s captain at Chelsea. Then came Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest for a cool £116 million. And don’t forget 18-year-old Morocco international Ayyoub Bouaddi, who cost another £86 million. This trio accounts for the bulk of their summer signings, and when you look at who left, it’s clear why the midfield is unrecognizable. Captain Bernardo Silva, 2024 Ballon d’Or winner Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Nico Gonzalez are all gone, making way for a completely transformed central unit. Club sources are reportedly thrilled with how they handled the business, not just this summer, but also back in January when they fast-tracked plans for Antoine Semenyo and Marc Guehi.
A Smart Rebuild or a Striker Gamble?
The rebuild really kicked off in January 2025 after a rough patch, and now only four players remain from the starting eleven and subs that won the 2023 Champions League against Inter Milan. Maresca’s got serious depth, with two established players for almost every position. The club feels this squad is stronger than the one that started last season, crediting a calm and trusting transfer strategy. Overall, City’s spent £542 million on new signings since the turn of the year. But here’s the kicker: they’ve also recouped a massive £334 million, including £75 million for Savinho (who only netted two Premier League goals for them!), £65 million for Rodri, and £52 million for Reijnders. That puts their net spend for 2026 at £208 million, which will shrink even more when Tottenham coughs up £60 million for Omar Marmoush after his loan. They stuck to a “one-out, one-in” policy for most players, but here’s the burning question: with all that cash spent, have they actually left themselves without a real backup for Erling Haaland?
They’ve started the Premier League season with back-to-back wins, so Maresca is already facing a “dilemma” with so many riches to choose from. The challenge now is fitting all these new, expensive pieces together. Will the new midfield click instantly and prove their worth? And who steps up if Haaland isn’t available? We’re about to find out.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by BBC Sport.
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