Maresca identifies two remaining gaps as Manchester City race to complete deadline-day business

Manchester City are pushing to complete their transfer business before Tuesday’s deadline, with manager Enzo Maresca openly acknowledging the squad still needs reinforcements despite a perfect two-from-two start to the Premier League season.

City came from behind to beat Bournemouth on the opening weekend before thumping Crystal Palace 4-1 at Selhurst Park on Friday, with Rayan Cherki producing a two-goal masterclass in a number 10 role. The results are encouraging, but the squad’s thin bench at Palace underlined that Maresca does not yet have the depth he is looking for.

“I think the right idea is to have two players in each position,” Maresca said this week. “They need to compete between them. The standard is higher when they compete for every game. So for me the ideal is to have two players in each position. Thinking we are playing maybe 65 games this season, we probably need more numbers.”

The City manager has already demonstrated his preference for versatility. Marc Guehi has played in midfield and at centre-back in the opening two games, Nico O’Reilly has operated in three different positions, and Phil Foden finished Friday’s win at number 10. That flexibility is by design — Maresca wants players who can cover multiple roles as City compete across four competitions.

In goal, Gianluigi Donnarumma and Geronimo Rulli provide solid cover. The centre-back department looks well stocked with Ruben Dias, Guehi, Josko Gvardiol, Abdukodir Khusanov and Vitor Reis, with the latter three also capable of filling in at full-back. Nico O’Reilly and Matheus Nunes — currently sidelined through injury — are the long-term picks at full-back, with Rayan Ait-Nouri and Rico Lewis offering further options if the latter remains at the club past the deadline.

Central midfield is where the need is most acute. Ayyoub Bouaddi made his debut on Friday having signed for £81 million from Lille and will compete with Elliot Anderson and Mateo Kovacic, but City are still reportedly pursuing Enzo Fernandez to add another body in that area. Jeremy Doku also missed the Palace game through injury, a reminder that the wide positions could yet require attention too.

Maresca noted that three or four academy players — including Ryan McAidoo, Floyd Samba and Kaden Braithwaite — will form part of the senior group, with McAidoo catching the eye as a late substitute at Selhurst Park. With 21 or 22 players currently available, the manager believes the squad is close to the right number — but not quite there yet.