Manchester City have lost one of the most influential players of their recent era — and new head coach Enzo Maresca knows there is no escaping the challenge.
Rodri’s £65.4 million move to Barcelona has left a major hole in City’s midfield after seven trophy-filled seasons at the Etihad Stadium.
Now, Maresca has made it clear that the club’s next major task is finding the player capable of growing into that role.
The Spain international transformed City’s midfield after arriving and became central to their dominance under Pep Guardiola.
His honours included four Premier League titles and the Champions League, while he also went on to win the Ballon d’Or.
For Maresca, however, City cannot afford to dwell on what has been lost.
The Italian believes the club must repeat a familiar trick: identify the next star before writing off the team’s chances of competing.
Maresca accepts that replacing Rodri immediately is almost impossible. Instead, he wants City to find a player with the potential to develop into the next midfield cornerstone.
“I’ll try to find a new Rodri – it is what it is,” the new City boss said.
“Rodri, before he arrived here, he didn’t win the Ballon d’Or, he didn’t win the Champions League, he didn’t win the Club World Cup.
“Then he joined the club and then after he achieved many important things.
“Now the target for us is to try to find the new Rodri.
“When David Silva was here, everyone was worried – Kevin (De Bruyne) arrived. When Sergio Aguero was here, everyone was worried – Erling (Haaland) arrived. When Ferdinandho left, Rodri arrived. It’s just about this.
“When they leave, you need to be good and recruit the next one.
“They are all similar – David, Kevin, Fernandinho, Rodri, Aguero, Erling. It’s just normal, it’s a change. It’s not a problem, just go again and try to do the right things.”
Maresca’s message is straightforward: Manchester City have been through this before.
David Silva’s departure raised questions before Kevin De Bruyne emerged as another midfield superstar.
Sergio Aguero eventually made way for Erling Haaland, while Fernandinho’s exit opened the door for Rodri to become the heartbeat of City’s midfield. Now, that cycle must begin again.
The challenge, though, is enormous. Rodri was not simply a defensive midfielder. His positioning, composure, passing range, physical presence and ability to control the rhythm of matches made him one of the most complete players in world football.
Replacing those qualities with one signing could prove unrealistic.
Maresca’s approach suggests City are instead looking at the bigger picture: recruit intelligently, develop talent and trust the club’s ability to turn elite players into superstars.
Rodri’s exit also represents more than the loss of an individual player. It signals another significant transition for a Manchester City squad that has dominated English football for years.
Maresca now has the responsibility of keeping that machine running while reshaping key areas of the team. His confidence is clear.
Rather than treating Rodri’s departure as the beginning of a decline, Maresca sees it as another recruitment test for a club that has repeatedly found answers when its biggest stars moved on.
The message from the new City boss is simple: Rodri has left, but the search for his successor has already begun.
Toosin is a dedicated sports writer with a strong background in crafting engaging and insightful content. With experience at Goal, he has developed a sharp editorial sense and a refined storytelling approach that brings depth and perspective to sports journalism. His passion for the game goes beyond the headlines, as he captures both the excitement of the sport and the compelling human narratives behind each event. Toosin’s work resonates with a broad and diverse audience, making global sports stories accessible, relatable, and impactful.
