Manchester City has made headlines this summer with a £458m squad overhaul, setting a new Premier League record for a transfer window.

The club's new manager, Enzo Maresca, received full backing from director of football Hugo Viana. Notably, City's record transfer fee was broken twice this summer:

• £125m for Enzo Fernandez from Chelsea
• £116m for Elliot Anderson from Nottingham Forest
• £86m for Ayyoub Bouaddi, an 18-year-old talent

These signings have transformed the City midfield, following the departures of key players such as Bernardo Silva, Rodri, Tijjani Reijnders, and Nico Gonzalez. The squad now boasts only four players remaining from the starting eleven that triumphed in the 2023 Champions League final.

Senior club sources express satisfaction with the transfer activities, which included strategic signings made in January. City feels that their squad is now stronger compared to the start of last season, achieved through a calm and effective transfer strategy.

However, major questions linger:

• How will the new midfield signings integrate?
• Have they effectively left themselves without a backup for Erling Haaland?

City's total expenditure on new signings since January has reached £542m, but they have also recouped £334m from selling fringe players, resulting in a net spend of £208m for 2026. The club's approach has been a one-out, one-in policy, successfully replacing almost every departing player.

As the Premier League season kicks off, City has won back-to-back matches, leaving Maresca with the challenge of fitting his wealth of talent into a cohesive unit.