Chelsea block Maresca's first City target
Not happening. Chelsea are refusing to sell Malo Gusto to Manchester City this summer (1). Enzo Maresca wanted the £75m French right-back as his first signing after taking over from Pep Guardiola, but Chelsea will not do business with a direct rival.
City will need to look elsewhere for a right-back. Chelsea have locked down their future on that flank, with Reece James, Marc Cucurella, and Atalanta's Marco Palestra, confirmed to join Chelsea in a deal worth over €55m, all in the picture (1).
Dias is staying
Real Madrid can forget it. City have ruled out selling Ruben Dias this summer (2). The Portuguese centre-back was reportedly on Madrid's radar, but the club have shut the door completely.
Dias staying is big. Maresca is already planning to name him club captain as part of the rebuild, and losing your defensive leader before a ball is even kicked would have been a brutal start.
Fan-reaktioner
The Gusto news has City fans split. Some are calling the £75m price tag absurd for a right-back, while others see the logic in Maresca going after a player he knows from Chelsea. One thread sums up the mood with the title "Kevin DeBruyne from Temu", fans clearly want a different profile of signing, a creative engine to replace what they are losing, not a right-back.
