The Pep Guardiola era at the Etihad Stadium is officially over, but anyone expecting Manchester City to quietly slide into a transition period has another thing coming. Even with Enzo Maresca preparing to take the reins, the City hierarchy is already orchestrating a jaw-dropping midfield overhaul, launching immediate moves for Nottingham Forest sensation Elliot Anderson and Aston Villa destroyer Amadou Onana.
The post-Pep reality has hit hard and fast. City are facing a massive squad reset following the confirmed departures of long-term stalwarts John Stones and Bernardo Silva, who are leaving upon the expiration of their contracts. To fill that massive tactical void, City have wasted absolutely no time diving headfirst into the summer market.
According to explosive reports from The Athletic, City have already lodged a formal opening bid for Elliot Anderson. The 23-year-old England international has been an absolute revelation since his move to Nottingham Forest, playing in every single Premier League match this season and driving Forest all the way to the Europa League semi-finals under Vitor Pereira.
However, Forest owner Evangelos Marinakis wasted no time knocking back City’s initial proposal. With Anderson under contract until 2029 and local rivals Manchester United also snooping around, Forest are holding out for an astronomical fee. Word from the City Ground is that they value Anderson in the same bracket as Declan Rice, Moises Caicedo, and Enzo Fernández, meaning City will have to fork out well in excess of £100 million to land their man.
But City aren’t stopping there. To complement Anderson’s creative drive, they have firmly locked their radar back onto Aston Villa’s powerhouse midfielder, Amadou Onana.
The Belgian international has established himself as one of the most elite defensive shields in Europe, and his tactical versatility was on full display this week when he successfully operated as a makeshift center-back in Belgium’s 2-2 international friendly win over Croatia. With City needing structural steel following Stones’ exit, Onana is seen as the perfect multi-functional weapon for Maresca’s upcoming system.
With both Anderson and Onana currently away preparing for the highly anticipated 2026 World Cup in North America, City are moving aggressively to lay the groundwork for their arrivals. Pep Guardiola might have left the building, but City’s financial muscle and ambition remain completely untouched. The king is dead, but the empire is already building its next dynasty.
