Manchester City will not meet Chelsea's 5 p.m. deadline to submit a bid for Enzo Fernandez, according to new manager Enzo Maresca. The club is reportedly not pursuing any incoming transfers before the end of the day.
Maresca, who replaced Pep Guardiola this summer, indicated that further player departures from City are possible in the coming weeks. "We’ll see what happens with some more, there is a change in this moment," Maresca said. "We are in a moment where players that were here many years have already left or [others who] probably can leave."
He added, "At the moment the transfer window closes, we need to be good enough to find as soon as possible solutions for the team."
Maresca declined to comment on players from other clubs, stating, "I don’t think it’s good when people from other clubs speak about our players." This comes amid discussions surrounding Rodri in Spain.
Fernandez reportedly desires a move to the Etihad Stadium this month, with Chelsea insisting his future be resolved before the weekend. Barcelona is also reportedly attempting to secure a transfer deal exceeding £60 million for the Spanish captain.
Maresca noted that some players may seek new opportunities due to limited playing time. "When they don’t play, they struggle to understand or they struggle to see the reason why and I can understand that after one season some of them would like to play a little bit more," he said. "It’s a bit difficult to convince players when they are already convinced."
Tijjani Reijnders is reportedly finalizing a £52 million move to Al Qadsiah in Saudi Arabia, and Savinho has expressed a desire to join Tottenham. Maresca compared Reijnders' situation to that of James Trafford and other players who might seek moves elsewhere.
Maresca is preparing for his first competitive match as City's manager in the Community Shield against Arsenal on Sunday.