Guehi, Fernandez and Semenyo among City's new leaders as Maresca shapes his captaincy group

Enzo Maresca is reshaping Manchester City’s captaincy structure after the summer exits of Bernardo Silva and Rodri stripped the club of two of its most prominent leaders, with January signings Marc Guehi and Antoine Semenyo joining £125m arrival Enzo Fernandez as candidates to fill the void.

Maresca, who succeeded Pep Guardiola at the Etihad, has spoken publicly about needing to bring in leaders and has indicated he wants to select a four-man captaincy group himself rather than inherit one. Erling Haaland and Ruben Dias remain in that conversation, but the new City boss is looking to supplement them with fresh voices.

Fernandez is considered the most obvious addition to the group. The Argentina midfielder was handed the armband by Maresca at Chelsea — a decision that came just weeks after Fernandez appeared in a video of his international teammates singing a song containing racist and homophobic slurs — and carries the advantage of understanding Maresca’s methods more intimately than any other player in the squad. His £125m move from Stamford Bridge has now been finalised.

Maresca has also expressed a desire for an English player within his leadership core. Phil Foden has publicly acknowledged he needs to put himself forward for the captaincy at this stage of his career, while Guehi arrives with the experience of having worn the armband at Crystal Palace. The centre-back was one of two players City moved for in January to get ahead of rival clubs, with his signing alongside Semenyo representing an early start to City’s summer recruitment.

Semenyo, signed from Bournemouth midway through last season, has made an impression in a less formal way. According to the article, Dias leaned on the Ghana international to lift the squad with his energy after his arrival, and Semenyo served as a role model for younger players during the summer tour, helping them understand the standards required at a top club.

Tottenham manager Roberto De Zerbi recently argued that mentality cannot be bought in the transfer market, but City appear to have made a deliberate effort to do exactly that, recruiting multiple players who carry natural authority within a dressing room.