Manchester City Already Has a Favorite to Replace Rodri
Manchester City is already preparing for a possible future without Rodri Hernández. As the Spanish midfielder moves closer to joining FC Barcelona, the Premier League club has reportedly identified the player at the top of its shortlist to fill the void in midfield.
According to journalist Gianluca Di Marzio, head coach Enzo Maresca views Enzo Fernández as the ideal candidate to become the new leader of City's midfield.
However, completing the deal will be anything but easy.
Maresca Wants to Reunite With Enzo Fernández
The Italian manager knows the Argentine international well after working with him during his time at Chelsea.
According to Di Marzio, Maresca believes Enzo Fernández possesses all the qualities he is looking for in a midfielder: leadership, passing ability, tactical intelligence, and the personality to control matches from the center of the pitch.
The Argentina World Cup winner would also fit naturally into a possession-based system focused on controlling games, principles that have defined Maresca's tactical approach.
Chelsea Has No Intention of Letting Him Go
The biggest challenge for Manchester City will be convincing Chelsea to negotiate.
The London club still considers Enzo Fernández a cornerstone of its long-term project and has the Argentine under a long-term contract, making any departure extremely difficult.
Negotiating with a direct Premier League rival would also significantly increase the cost of any potential transfer.
At the moment, no formal offer has been submitted, but Manchester City's interest continues to grow as Rodri's future remains unresolved.
The Domino Effect Triggered by Rodri's Situation
The search for a replacement is directly linked to the possible departure of the Spanish international.
As we have reported in recent days, Rodri has reportedly made it clear that his priority is joining FC Barcelona, while negotiations between the Catalan club and Manchester City continue after the English side rejected Barcelona's opening offer.
Should the Ballon d'Or winner ultimately leave the Etihad Stadium, Enzo Fernández has emerged as one of the few midfielders capable of filling such an influential role.
At 25 years old, the Argentine combines technical quality, vision, defensive intensity, and experience at the highest level of European football. His ability to build attacks from deep and break defensive lines with precise passing makes him a profile very similar to the one that has established Rodri as one of the world's best midfielders.
For now, Manchester City's interest remains in its early stages, but Enzo Maresca's priority appears clear: if Rodri departs the Etihad Stadium, the club's main objective will be convincing Chelsea to negotiate the transfer of Enzo Fernández.
