Maresca sets improvement as 'main target' for new-look City after £700m summer overhaul

Enzo Maresca has declared that continuous improvement is his primary goal for Manchester City after a summer of extraordinary upheaval that generated over £700m in transfer activity, with the club spending more than £400m on new arrivals while recouping in excess of £300m through sales.

The scale of the rebuild means City head into the new Premier League season with a largely unfamiliar cast despite Maresca being appointed as a continuity candidate to carry forward the philosophy Pep Guardiola refined over a decade of sustained success. Three new midfielders are among the headline arrivals, and the manager acknowledges that everyone at the club understands they are operating within a fundamentally new era.

“The club is aware, the players are aware, and the coaching staff are aware that it is the beginning of a new project — something new,” Maresca said. “The most important thing when you start something is that you can see the team is better in October than September and November than October. It’s what we need.”

Maresca has been given an encouraging start, with City winning both of their opening fixtures. A home game against newly-promoted Coventry City on Saturday offers the chance to extend that perfect record in the Premier League. Recent signings Iliman Ndiaye, Enzo Fernandez and Allan are all available for selection, while Ayyoub Bouaddi and Elliot Anderson have already made their debuts under the new manager.

Despite the disruption, Maresca insists the clean break has helped the squad move forward rather than linger in the shadow of what came before. He is confident the group will grow into his methods as the season progresses.

“I can see now that it is our team,” he added. “The main target for me is to see how the players improve day after day, game after game. That is the most important thing. It’s something we have done in the last games but it’s just the beginning of the Premier League and we have many more games that we need to do the right things.”

While the level of change would ordinarily temper expectations, Maresca is understood to be expected — both inside and outside the club — to challenge across all competitions this season.