Manchester City are navigating one of the most turbulent summers in the club's recent history. A new manager, a thinning squad, and now an injury cloud hanging over their most important midfielder — Rodri — have left the club at a crossroads.

The Rodri situation

Fresh from captaining Spain to World Cup glory and collecting the Golden Ball as the tournament's best player, Rodri will undergo back surgery this Monday. The 30-year-old has just one year remaining on his contract, and reports suggest Real Madrid are operating on the basis that he will join them.

New manager Enzo Maresca did not shy away from the question when it was put to him at his first news conference. "I think every manager wants to have Rodri because he is a top player," Maresca said. "But now, surgery on Monday… he needs a holiday… he needs to rest and recover and then he will be back with us."

That stance makes the club's position clear: Maresca wants to keep him. But contingency plans are already being drawn up.

A squad in transition

Four starters from City's Treble-winning 2022-23 season — Manuel Akanji, Nathan Ake, Bernardo Silva, and John Stones — have all departed this summer. In their place, the club have brought in £116 million Elliot Anderson and 17-year-old Jeremy Monga.

City are also monitoring 18-year-old Lille midfielder Ayyoub Bouaddi, who caught the eye for Morocco during the World Cup. Bouaddi has operated in holding midfield, right-back, and centre-back — a positional versatility that fits precisely what Maresca demands.

How Maresca's system works

Maresca is a disciple of positional play, and he draws a revealing parallel between his football philosophy and chess. "The most important is positional play and strategy," he explained. "For a coach, it's important to have the mentality of a chess player: develop a plan, study counter-moves, choose the arrangement of the pieces."

His teams typically defend in a 4-4-2 shape before transitioning into a fluid 3-2-2-3 when in possession. During City's Treble campaign — when Maresca served as Pep Guardiola's assistant — it was Stones who stepped out of the back four to form a double pivot alongside Rodri. At Chelsea, Maresca deployed Moises Caicedo at right-back, who would advance into a holding midfield role once City had the ball.

Rodri's value in this system lies in his ability to glide between predefined positions — dropping into the backline when needed, holding deep, or pushing forward when space opens up. Throughout the World Cup, he demonstrated precisely that adaptability alongside former City team-mate Aymeric Laporte.

Where Anderson and Bouaddi fit in

Anderson, 23, has played every midfield and attacking position throughout his career and has dropped into a back five for England. Paired with Rodri, he could sit deeper to allow the Spaniard more attacking freedom — and the roles would be interchangeable. City hope the dynamic mirrors what Rodri built with Bernardo Silva.

Bouaddi offers similar positional intelligence. His composure on the ball and defensive solidity echo the work Stones performed for City — a model the club are clearly seeking to replicate with younger, versatile talent.

If Rodri leaves

City would undeniably be weaker without Rodri. His positional awareness, composure under pressure, and reading of risk are qualities that take years to develop — Rodri himself needed several seasons to settle after arriving under Fernandinho's guidance.

But Maresca has a track record of unlocking players in unexpected roles: Stones into holding midfield, Caicedo into full-back, Marc Cucurella into attacking midfield. Should Rodri depart, that ingenuity will be tested at the highest level.

Maresca also intends to work with a broader squad than Guardiola preferred — giving himself more pieces on the board. Whether or not Rodri stays, that philosophy could prove the difference for City next season.