Manchester City Quells Rodri Exit Rumors Amid Arsenal and Liverpool Moves
Enzo Maresca has moved to slam the brakes on speculation around Rodri’s future, insisting Manchester City expect their midfield general back in sky blue once his holidays are over.
Rodri, fresh from captaining Spain to World Cup glory and recovering from minor surgery, has been heavily linked with a move to Real Madrid. The noise has grown loud enough to demand a response, but Maresca, speaking on City’s pre-season tour, cut through it.
“It’s just about speculation at the moment. Rodri had the surgery last Monday; everything was fine,” he said, outlining a simple plan: a few days off, some overdue rest after a draining season and summer, then a return to City duty. No showdown talks. No transfer push. No hint of an exit.
The message was clear. Rodri’s priority was the World Cup, his priority now is recovery, and City have not opened the door to Madrid or anyone else.
Bouaddi deal lines up City’s next midfield pillar
While Rodri rests, City are already plotting the next phase of their midfield evolution.
The Premier League champions have reportedly agreed a deal for Morocco star Ayyoub Bouaddi, one of the breakout performers at the World Cup. talkSPORT report that City have struck an agreement worth around £86 million to bring the Lille teenager to the Etihad Stadium.
There is a twist. The timing of his arrival is still in play, with a suggestion Bouaddi could remain at Lille for the 2026/27 season. That scenario would likely drag the fee down, as City would effectively be paying for a player they will not see in Manchester for another year. For now, the framework is there, the intent is obvious: City are paying big to secure the next anchor for their midfield.
Arsenal scent opportunity in Guimaraes chase
Up the road in North London, Arsenal are pushing hard to reinforce their own engine room and believe the door has swung open.
Bruno Guimaraes has been on their radar all summer. Now, according to ESPN, Arsenal are increasingly confident they can prise the Brazilian away from Newcastle United, with the expected departure of Eddie Howe viewed as a decisive factor in their favour.
Mikel Arteta wants fresh power and control in midfield as he prepares an assault on something Arsenal have never done: defend a Premier League crown. Guimaraes has been earmarked as a key piece in that plan.
For Newcastle, the stakes could hardly be higher. They have already lost Anthony Gordon and Sandro Tonali in this window. To see Guimaraes follow them out of the door would rip out the core of a side that only recently looked ready to cement itself among the elite. Arsenal sense that instability and are moving quickly.
Rashford at a crossroads as Saudi, MLS and Europe circle
Marcus Rashford’s future, meanwhile, sits on a knife-edge.
After a loan stint at Barcelona and a fractured end to his time at Manchester United, the winger is weighing up his next move. The Saudi Pro League has emerged as a genuine option, with vast money on the table and a growing list of high-profile arrivals.
Rene Meulensteen, speaking to Andy’s Bet Club, believes the forward’s decision will hinge on more than just cash.
“Saudi Arabia could be an option for Rashford depending on what he wants,” he said, pointing back to the breakdown of his relationship at Old Trafford. Meulensteen suggested Rashford had “fallen out of love with the manager or the club” before leaving United, but expects a different dynamic with Michael Carrick.
On the pitch, Meulensteen insists the talent remains intact, highlighting Rashford’s impact in the game against France and questioning why he was withdrawn at half-time. He also expressed surprise that Thomas Tuchel did not unleash Rashford and Bukayo Saka earlier against Argentina, arguing their pace would have been the ideal release valve.
Rashford’s ambition complicates any Saudi switch. He wants to play at the highest level. Barcelona’s choice to move for Anthony Gordon instead of signing him raises questions about his standing among Europe’s very biggest clubs, but Meulensteen still sees multiple paths: another Champions League giant, a Saudi move, or even MLS.
For now, Rashford waits, the market watches, and his next step will say plenty about where he sees the prime of his career.
United prospect Fredricson heads for Swiss reset
At Manchester United, one long-running academy story has reached its first major turning point.
Tyler Fredricson, a defender who joined the club at under-nine level, has left permanently for Lausanne-Sport in Switzerland. United confirmed the move, bringing to an end his time as a “lifelong Red from south Manchester” who climbed diligently through the ranks.
Fredricson played every round of United’s 2022 FA Youth Cup run before illness cruelly denied him a place in the final against Nottingham Forest. He eventually broke into the first team under Ruben Amorim, debuting against Wolverhampton Wanderers on 20 April 2025 and adding further appearances against Brentford, Grimsby Town and Newcastle United.
He never quite established himself as a senior regular and has now been allowed to move on. Lausanne may look an unusual destination on the surface, but the Swiss club’s ownership by INEOS, who also control United, keeps a subtle line of connection open. If he flourishes in Switzerland, the route back to Old Trafford will not be hard to find.
Liverpool turn to Barcola after Diomande blow
On Merseyside, Liverpool are preparing for life after Mohamed Salah and bracing themselves for a huge outlay to do it.
BBC Sport report that the club are readying their first formal bid for Bradley Barcola, with Paris Saint-Germain valuing the winger at around £145 million. It is a staggering figure for a player who is not even an automatic starter at PSG and has two years left on his contract.
Barcola has slipped down the pecking order in Paris, but his profile – quick, direct, and dangerous in wide areas – fits the template Liverpool have long used to devastating effect. Their need has sharpened after missing out on Yan Diomande, who is heading to Real Madrid from RB Leipzig.
Liverpool now face a familiar dilemma: pay elite money to stay among the elite, or risk slipping behind. Their pursuit of Barcola suggests they know the answer already.
