CARDIFF, Wales — Manchester City boss Enzo Maresca has said his side’s defeat to Arsenal in the Community Shield won’t alter their transfer plans this summer.
Maresca had a debut to forget as City boss, with his side thrashed 3-0 in the Principality Stadium in Cardiff.
Riccardo Calafiori scored within 24 seconds and Kai Havertz doubled Arsenal’s lead in the first half, before Martin Odegaard effectively sealed the game in the 47th minute with a well-taken goal.
Despite club-record signing Elliot Anderson making his first start for the club, City were easily overpowered in midfield and struggled to cope with the dynamism of Myles Lewis-Skelly and Bruno Guimarães.
They were without Rodri, who only returned to training on Friday and is strongly being pursued by Barcelona.
They have shown interest in Chelsea’s Enzo Fernández and Lille’s Ayyoub Bouaddi to enforce their midfield, and Maresca feels Sunday’s result has no bearings on their transfer activity.
“We knew already before the game that the things that we need to do, it is not because we lost the game or even if we were winning the game, we [would not think in a] different way,” Maresca said post-match.
“We are quite clear about what we need to do. And for sure, as I said, we are going to do something before the window transfer closes.”
When pressed specifically on their pursuit of Boudaddi, he said: “He is still a Lille player, but any new signing, any new player … It’s better because we’re going to start the Premier League in one week. And if they start to work with us as soon as possible, it’s better because they can also understand the way we want to play.”
The former Chelsea boss replaced Pep Guardiola this summer after the Spaniard left City after a hugely successful decade.
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Despite Maresca having served as his assistant manager in City’s treble-winning season of 2022-23 and also having worked in their academy, the club are in a period of transition.
While expressing worry about certain facets of their performance, Maresca chose not too dwell on it for too long.
“In general, I’m always concerned even when we win games. So imagine now that we didn’t win the game, but we just started. This just is the beginning. We have many things that we need to do better.
“But again, I think it was a good reaction after the first goal we conceded. And now we try to reset, analyze the game and think from Tuesday about the next game.”
City begin their Premier League campaign against Bournemouth on Aug. 23 and a player who could have a part to play in City’s campaign is Jack Grealish.
The England international returned to the club this summer after spending last year on loan at Everton.
He made his first appearance for City in over a year after coming on for the second half in place of Jérémy Doku.
“Again, Jack was inside when we were 2-0 down. The game already became complicated after that. But overall, I think Jack was good,” Maresca said.
“And again, the ones that are still here, they’re going to work every day. And if they deserve, they’re going to get minutes.”
