Maresca urges Man City to accelerate signings after 3-0 Community Shield loss to Arsenal

Enzo Maresca has urged Manchester City to finalise their transfer business without delay after a 3-0 Community Shield defeat to Arsenal exposed the gaps in his squad, with the Premier League campaign beginning in just one week.

City were brushed aside by the reigning Premier League champions at the first hurdle of Maresca’s tenure on British soil, conceding inside the opening minute and never recovering. The result sharpened the focus on a transfer window that still has significant work to do before it closes.

Savinho, Tijjani Reijnders, and Rodri were all absent from the squad amid expected departures, leaving Maresca short of options in key areas. Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi is understood to be in negotiations with the club, but Sunday’s performance underlined that more reinforcements are required beyond any single signing.

Speaking after the final whistle, Maresca was careful to stress that the defeat had not altered City’s transfer strategy. “We knew already before the game of the things that we need to do,” he said. “It’s not because we lost the game — or even if we had won the game — to think differently. We are quite clear in what we need to do and for sure we are going to do something before the window closes.”

The Italian coach did, however, make plain that timing matters. “Any new signing, the sooner they arrive the better because we are starting the Premier League in one week,” Maresca added. “If they start to work with us as soon as possible it’s better that they can also understand the way we want to play.”

With roughly two weeks remaining in the transfer window, City face a race to give Maresca the squad depth he needs as he steps into the considerable shadow left by Pep Guardiola’s decade-long reign at the Etihad.