Monday brought the official beginning on the Enzo Maresca era at Manchester City football club. We knew that he was going to succeed Pep Guardiola, since the end of this past season, but a financial settlement with Chelsea had to be brokered, in order to get the deal over the line. Both clubs released statements, with the Chelsea version a bit…salty, to say the least. And with the Maresca era now underway, we also know who his first signing will be- Nottingham Forest midfielder Elliot Anderson.
He moves over on a transfer fee reportedly worth £116 million, which is a new club record.
The previous record belonged to Jack Grealish, who moved over from Aston Villa on a deal worth £100m. Anderson also broke the transfer fee record for a British born player, surpassing Arsenal’s acquisition of Declan Rice from West Ham United in 2023. Anderson has completed his medical, and the transfer documents between the two clubs have been approved.
Elliot Anderson completed his medical at the England base camp in Kansas.
Three Lions are training at Swope Soccer Village in Kansas City, Missouri while their headquarters is at the Inn at Meadowbrook, located in nearby Prairie Village, Kansas. England take on the Democratic Republic of Congo in Atlanta on Wednesday.
As today is Maresca “unveiling” day, the 46-year-old Italian provided his first interview as City manager, where he outlined his vision for the club. Obviously Anderson is just the start, and there will be many more signings to follow. Enzo Maresca opened up on his intention to remain as the club’s first-team boss for the remainder of his top-level managerial career.
“It’s a huge challenge, for many reasons,” Maresca said of his new gig.
“All the success over the last 10 to 15 years, but at the same moment it’s a nice challenge. It’s exciting because the target is to continue or carry on the last decade or the last years that everything was very nice. I’m very excited, very excited for many reasons.
“The first one is how big the Club is, so this for sure has been one of the reasons why.”
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, Ratings and RG. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.